Age groups for classes in the USA

In most public and private schools in the USA, education is divided into three levels:

elementary school,

middle school (sometimes called junior high school),

and high school (sometimes referred to as secondary education).

In almost all schools at these levels, children are divided by age groups into grades, ranging from kindergarten (followed by first grade) for the youngest children in elementary school, up to twelfth grade, the final year of high school. The exact age range of students in these grade levels varies slightly from area to area.

Post-secondary education, better known as "college" in the United States, is generally governed separately from the elementary and high school system, and is described in a separate section below.

Kindergarten is usually for 5-6 year olds. Then, it goes up from there.

6-7 year olds in first grade (elementary school)

7-8 year olds in second grade (")

8-9 year olds in third grade (")

9-10 year olds in fourth grade (")

10-11 year olds in fifth grade (")

11-12 year olds in sixth grade (")

12-13 year olds in seventh grade (junior high or middle school)

13-14 year olds in eighth grade (junior high or middle school)

14-15 year olds in 9th grade (this can sometimes be in a middle school, sometimes a junior high school and sometimes a high school)

15-16 year olds in 10th grade (high school)

16-17 year olds in 11th grade

17-18 year olds in the 12th grade

Of course, many students also start kindergarten young, so you can adapt the ages downward by one year in each category as well…