No, the United States is not adding a universal 13th grade to its K–12 system, and there is no nationwide plan or law in place to make high school go beyond 12th grade.

What “13th grade” actually means

In U.S. context, “13th grade” usually refers to:

  • An informal nickname for a fifth year of high school , when students stay an extra year to finish credits or improve transcripts, not a new mandated grade.
  • Certain special programs (often called “early college” or “5th-year” programs) where students stay an extra year in high school to earn college credits or an associate degree at low or no cost.

These setups are local or state-level options, not a new national grade level.

Local and state “13th year” programs

Some states and districts do have something close to a voluntary 13th year:

  • A few U.S. school districts (for example, in Oregon and North Carolina) offer a structured 5th year of high school linked to community college, sometimes described as “grade 13.”
  • Policy groups have promoted the “13th year concept” where students can stay one more year tuition‑free and graduate with both a diploma and a job‑ready or transfer‑ready associate degree.

These programs are targeted at college and career readiness, not a general extension of high school for everyone.

Why people think a 13th grade is coming

The rumor “are they adding a 13th grade in the US” keeps popping up online for a few reasons:

  • Viral forum and social posts speculating about mandatory 13th grade or joking about it, which then get shared as if they were real plans.
  • Real policy discussions about making high school‑to‑college transitions smoother, such as early college high schools and 5‑year models, which can sound like “they’re adding another grade” even though they are optional programs.

So far, these are conversations and experiments, not a change to the standard 12-grade structure.

Could a 13th grade happen in the future?

There is ongoing debate among educators and policy thinkers about:

  • Extending secondary education by a year to improve college readiness.
  • Expanding dual‑credit and early college models so more students leave high school with significant college credit or a full associate degree.

However, moving the entire country to a mandatory 13th grade would require major federal and state policy shifts, new funding, and big changes to college admissions timelines, none of which currently exist.

Bottom line: The standard in the U.S. is still K–12, and while some optional “13th year” or 5‑year early college programs exist in certain states and districts, there is no nationwide move to officially add a 13th grade for everyone.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.