New York at a glance
- Kindergarten: entry age is set by local districts.
- Compulsory school age: 6 to 16.
- Required instructional time: 180 days; Half-day K: 450 h; Full-day K-6: 900 h; 7-12: 990 h hours.
- Statewide grading scale: none identified; grading is generally set by districts.
- Remote learning instead of snow days: allowed under state rules.
Kindergarten entry age
New York leaves the kindergarten entry cutoff to local districts, so the date can differ between neighboring towns. Check your district's enrollment page.
Use the What Grade Am I In? calculator to turn a birthday into a grade level, or compare all states in our kindergarten cutoff table. Source: Education Commission of the States.
School year and attendance
| Rule | New York | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory school age | 6–16 | ECS |
| Minimum instructional days | 180 | ECS (2023) |
| Minimum instructional hours | Half-day K: 450 h; Full-day K-6: 900 h; 7-12: 990 h | ECS (2023) |
Instructional-time rules decide how many missed days must be made up — the reason a winter with several snow days can push the last day of school later. Count down to yours with the Days Until Summer tool.
Grading scale
We did not find a statewide grading scale for New York — in most states the scale is set by the district or even the school, and many use 90/80/70/60 or a plus/minus variant. Check your student handbook, then convert scores with our grading scale converter.
Snow days and remote learning
New York City (Central Park) averages about 29.8 inches of snow a year (1991–2020 normals, source), which puts New York in our regular snow tier. Districts used to heavy snow need more of it to close; places that rarely see snow close for less.
8 NYCRR 175.5(e): a district that would otherwise close for an emergency (incl. severe weather) may stay in session with remote instruction that counts toward annual hours; superintendent certifies; must follow district emergency remote instruction plan (from 2023-24). No cap stated. Amended eff. Sept 28, 2022. Source.
Estimate tomorrow's odds with the New York Snow Day Calculator.
SAT and ACT scores in New York (class of 2026)
New York's class of 2026 averaged 1053 on the SAT with 63% of graduates tested, and 25.9 on the ACT with 6% tested. Nationally the averages were 1045 (SAT) and 19.2 (ACT).
| Measure | New York | U.S. | Rank (of 51) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT participation | 63% | n/a | 16 |
| SAT average total | 1053 | 1045 | 33 |
| SAT Reading & Writing / Math | 529 / 524 | 528 / 517 | — |
| SAT total, class of 2025 | 1045 | 1029 | — |
| ACT participation | 6% | 38% | 36 |
| ACT average composite | 25.9 | 19.2 | 5 |
Participation in New York is partial on both tests, so each average reflects a mix of students who chose to test. Compare scores only with states that have similar participation. The SAT and ACT scores by state study shows this participation effect across all 50 states and DC. To see where a single score lands, use the SAT score calculator or the ACT score calculator.
Sources: College Board SAT Suite of Assessments Annual Report (New York, 2026); ACT 2026 average scores by state. Ranks are among the 50 states and DC.
Free tools for New York families and teachers
- High school GPA calculator and final grade calculator
- AP score calculator for May exams
- EZ Grader and report card comments for teachers
- Homework planner and the 10-minute homework rule
This page replaces the New York school listings of the homework-posting service that used this web address in the 2000s. The current site is independent of that service.
State rules change. Facts were checked against the linked sources on October 14, 2026; confirm with your district or state education department.