Pre-school in the US, also known as pre-kindergarten or pre-k usually runs for 1-2 years when the child is 3 and 4 years old. The school year starts in September and runs to end of June the following year, generally with 3 semesters or terms per year. Most children commence kindergarten at the age of 5 or 6 years old, subject to local State requirements.

The education system in the United States formally starts with elementary school where the first year is known as Kindergarten, followed by 1st Grade through to 6th Grade.Įlementary school is followed by High School which runs from 7th Grade to 12th Grade and is sometimes split into a Middle School from 6th Grade to 8th Grade followed by High School. School Age and Grade Levels in the United States