diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_utils.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_utils.py
index 8d7ac3c97a..f850c32b8e 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -2,13 +2,17 @@
 import collections
 import copy
 import mock
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+from pytz import UTC
 
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
 
 from contentstore import utils
 from xmodule.modulestore.tests.factories import CourseFactory
-from opaque_keys.edx.locations import SlashSeparatedCourseKey
+from opaque_keys.edx.locations import SlashSeparatedCourseKey, Location
+
+from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 
 
 class LMSLinksTestCase(TestCase):
@@ -183,3 +187,65 @@ class CourseImageTestCase(TestCase):
                 course=course.location.course
             )
         )
+
+
+class XBlockVisibilityTestCase(TestCase):
+    """Tests for xblock visibility for students."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.dummy_user = 123
+        self.past = datetime(1970, 1, 1)
+        self.future = datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(days=1)
+
+    def test_private_unreleased_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a private unreleased xblock is not visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('private_unreleased', self.future)
+        self.assertFalse(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_private_released_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a private released xblock is not visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('private_released', self.past)
+        self.assertFalse(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_public_unreleased_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a public (published) unreleased xblock is not visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('public_unreleased', self.future, publish=True)
+        self.assertFalse(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_public_released_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that public (published) released xblock is visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('public_released', self.past, publish=True)
+        self.assertTrue(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_private_no_start_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a private xblock with no start date is not visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('private_no_start', None)
+        self.assertFalse(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_public_no_start_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a public (published) xblock with no start date is visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('public_no_start', None, publish=True)
+        self.assertTrue(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def test_draft_released_xblock(self):
+        """Verifies that a xblock with an unreleased draft and a released published version is visible"""
+        vertical = self._create_xblock_with_start_date('draft_released', self.past, publish=True)
+
+        # Create an unreleased draft version of the xblock
+        vertical.start = self.future
+        modulestore().update_item(vertical, self.dummy_user)
+
+        self.assertTrue(utils.is_xblock_visible_to_students(vertical))
+
+    def _create_xblock_with_start_date(self, name, start_date, publish=False):
+        """Helper to create an xblock with a start date, optionally publishing it"""
+        location = Location('edX', 'visibility', '2012_Fall', 'vertical', name)
+
+        vertical = modulestore().create_xmodule(location)
+        vertical.start = start_date
+        modulestore().update_item(vertical, self.dummy_user, allow_not_found=True)
+
+        if publish:
+            modulestore().publish(location, self.dummy_user)
+
+        return vertical
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
index e75ddedeb0..8f29ad9e5b 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import copy
 import logging
 import re
+from datetime import datetime
+from pytz import UTC
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
@@ -10,8 +12,10 @@ from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 
 from xmodule.contentstore.content import StaticContent
 from xmodule.contentstore.django import contentstore
+from xmodule.modulestore import REVISION_OPTION_PUBLISHED_ONLY
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.modulestore.mixed import store_bulk_write_operations_on_course
+from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError
 from opaque_keys.edx.locations import SlashSeparatedCourseKey, Location
 from xmodule.modulestore.store_utilities import delete_course
 from student.roles import CourseInstructorRole, CourseStaffRole
@@ -129,6 +133,25 @@ def compute_publish_state(xblock):
     return modulestore().compute_publish_state(xblock)
 
 
+def is_xblock_visible_to_students(xblock):
+    """
+    Returns true if there is a published version of the xblock that has been released.
+    """
+
+    try:
+        published = modulestore().get_item(xblock.location, revision=REVISION_OPTION_PUBLISHED_ONLY)
+    # If there's no published version then the xblock is clearly not visible
+    except ItemNotFoundError:
+        return False
+
+    # Check start date
+    if 'detached' not in published._class_tags and published.start is not None:
+        return datetime.now(UTC) > published.start
+
+    # No start date, so it's always visible
+    return True
+
+
 def add_extra_panel_tab(tab_type, course):
     """
     Used to add the panel tab to a course if it does not exist.