What year did the US make high school compulsory?

I’ve read some books where only 8th grade was required, and students had to save up to attend high school. I know my mother, who graduated in the early sixties, had to stay in school until she graduated. I’m curious about when the requirement for high school really kicked in.

It varies by state. Mississippi was the last to adopt compulsory education laws in the early 1900s, while Massachusetts had them in the mid-1800s. However, enforcement really ramped up during the Great Depression to keep kids in school and free up jobs for adults. Some grandparents stopped schooling at 6th grade, which often depended on whether they lived in urban or rural areas where working on the farm was expected.

@Lucky
Mississippi repealed compulsory attendance in 1956 but reinstated it in 1982. Parents can homeschool without oversight by filing a Certificate of Enrollment. Teens who drop out can’t get a driver’s license until 18. My grandfather was told to drop out after third grade due to poor eyesight, which was ridiculous. He did drop out but ended up quite successful.

@MAC
My grandmother dropped out in 8th grade near Greenville, MS, and learned to drive a Model T at 12. She also had a fantastic talent for trivia.

As mentioned, it depends on the state. Over 100 years ago, some southern states were lax about school attendance. During World War One, soldiers had to take basic literacy tests, and results from some southern states were alarmingly poor, leading to a push for better education.

It still varies by state. In the 90s, you could legally drop out at 16 in Nebraska.

Interestingly, some states don’t require kindergarten. In Colorado, for instance, kindergarten isn’t compulsory. A child has to be 6 by August 1st to attend school, which starts in first grade. Colorado doesn’t fully fund kindergarten.

@chase
Kindergarten isn’t required in Texas either, just first grade, and it’s based on age—6 years old on or before September first.

@chase
Kindergarten is paid for in Colorado, but pre-K isn’t fully funded. Ten years ago, only half-day kindergarten was funded.

High school is not technically mandatory in the US. The Yoder v. Wisconsin case established that beyond a 9th grade education isn’t necessary, and parents can get religious exemptions after that.

In Minnesota, you could drop out at 16 with parental permission. Before or after that, you just need to inform your school district where your child is getting their education, so homeschooling is a valid option.

As a teacher, I question the effectiveness of compulsory high school education. If students haven’t learned by 8th grade, forcing them into four more years may not help. It could detract from the experience of eager learners because I spend too much time managing students who don’t want to engage.

@Kathy
I feel the same way. Many of my seniors would be better off working or learning a trade. Forcing them through class can be torture for us both.

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Mary said:
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My grandfather was born in 1933 in Oklahoma. By age 14, he was recruited for logging camps without even consulting his mother. It’s wild how different life was for kids back then.

All of my grandparents graduated high school in the 1920s, which was quite rare. Census records show many people only had 4th or 8th grade educations, especially in rural areas.

Gia said:
All of my grandparents graduated high school in the 1920s, which was quite rare. Census records show many people only had 4th or 8th grade educations, especially in rural areas.

And they learned in 4th grade what kids today learn in 8th.

I lived in California, and when I was in high school, you could drop out at 16, which was in the mid-80s. Now, you can’t drop out until after 18 unless you pass an equivalency exam. Each state has its own laws. I just found out that California’s compulsory education law requires students to attend school until 18, as of 1974.

Let’s keep everyone in college until they’re 30. That way, they’ll have several trades or degrees. This will help keep unemployment low and ensure everyone can work in different fields until they retire.

Another question could be when kindergarten became mandatory, which in some states, it still isn’t.