Could You Still Attend High School for Free at 21 in Washington State?

I was proud of my sister because she went back to high school a few years after she had dropped out.

I think she was 18 or 19 when she went back, and I was a proud brother when she graduated.

Turned 18? Here’s How Long You Can Stay in a Washington High School

She graduated in Spokane, and it got me thinking: what's the official age at which you no longer can attend high school in Washington State?

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Washington’s Free High School Age Limit May Surprise You

I knew a few second-year seniors, but I'm curious about what the age cut-off is for the Evergreen State.

a person wearing a graduation cap and gown

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It might surprise you that each state sets its own age limit. Some states, like Alabama, have the earliest general cutoff: age 19.

Its free-education range is listed as ages 5-19, meaning the state generally must provide free public education until the student turns 19.

Other states like New Mexico and West Virginia will allow a student up to 22 years old.

For regular K–12 public education in Washington, the cutoff is generally under age 21 at the beginning of the school year.

 

In other words, a student who is 20 on September 1 can generally continue attending public school tuition-free, assuming they meet the other enrollment requirements.

So 21 is the surprising cut-off date in Washington State, but like my sister, she wanted to get her diploma and not just a GED.