1. FAQs: Public
Education in the U.S.
Dr. Joseph Piro
Long Island University
July 23, 2012

3. How are US Schools
organized?
American schools use the following
organization:
Elementary School - Grades pre-K-5
Middle School - Grades 6-8
High School - Grades 9-12

4. To what age do students in
the US attend school?
 In in most states in the US, students must
attend school up until the age of 16.
 In general, children enter school at age 5
in kindergarten and leave in twelfth grade
at age 18.
 Schools are divided by ages. Age range for
schools:
Pre-School- ages 4-5
Elementary- ages 5-11
Middle- ages 11-14
High School- ages 14-18

5. How many students are
enrolled in public schools
in the US?
O There are about 50,000,000 children
enrolled in elementary, middle, and
secondary schools in the US. US public
school enroll about 90% of the population.
Non-public (private) schools enroll the
rest. The largest public school enrollment
is in the southern US states (38%). The
northeast enrolls the least (16%).

6. Who pays for public
education?
American schools were founded on an idea
called “local control,” that is the area in
which the school is located is in charge of
the school. In general, public schooling is
paid for by the federal, state, and local
governments using tax levy funding with the
majority of funds coming from state and
local sources. Local school boards generally
set policy for school districts.

7. What are some funding
percentages for public
education in the US?
O Approximately 3% of the Federal Budget
in the US is spent on Education.
O Total Funding of US Public Education:
$584,728,896 (approximately)
O • Federal: $47.7 billion (8.2% of total)
O • State: $282.6 billion (48.3% of total)
O • Local and private: $254.3 (43.5% of
total)

8. How does the US compare to
the world?
O OECD Average: $8,169
O US Average: $10,995
O South Korea: $6,723
O Highest………New York $13,211
O Lowest……….Utah $5,247

10. How many teachers are
there in US public schools?
 Estimated number of K-12 public school
teachers in the US: 3,700,000

11. What is the US average
teacher salary?
O In 2011, the average teacher salary in the
US was: $56,069
O California pays teachers the most, North
Dakota the least.

12. What do students study in
American schools?
O Most students in K-12 study subjects
including Science, Mathematics, English
and Social Studies. The curriculum also
includes the Arts, World
Languages, Technology, and Athletics and
Physical Education.
O There are many more subjects and areas
included in school curriculum throughout
the US based on local needs and
decisions.

13. What is the ethnic makeup
of American public schools?
O 23% of American public school students
have one parent born outside the US.
O 11,200,000 public school children speak
a language other than English at home.
O White 54%; Black 15%; Hispanic 23%;
Asian/Pacific Islander/American Indian 8%

14. How many English Language
Learners (ELLs) are there in US
public schools?
O There are approximately 5.5 million ELLS
in public schools throughout the US.
O They can be found in greatest numbers in
California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois,
and new Jersey.

15. What are some other types
of schools in the US
O Home Schools
O Charter Schools
O Alternative Schools
O Magnet Schools
O Vocational Schools
O Private Schools
O Religious Schools
O Online Schools

16. What are some special
needs populations in US
schools?
O Learning Disabilities
O Speech/Language Impairments
O Health Impairments
(hearing, mobility, vision)
O Emotional Impairments
O Developmentally Delayed
O Gifted and Talented

17. For more information…
O The Condition Of Education (published by
the US National Center for Education
Statistics- NCES)
O http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/
O http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/
O http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/ous/