K through 12 education
The primary and secondary education system in the US, which is described as having a shocking decline in quality over the past 30 years, impacting standards, discipline, and student performance.
entitydetail.created_at
8/16/2025, 2:37:24 AM
entitydetail.last_updated
8/16/2025, 2:39:04 AM
entitydetail.research_retrieved
8/16/2025, 2:39:04 AM
Summary
K–12 education refers to the system of primary and secondary schooling, encompassing kindergarten through the 12th grade, primarily found in the United States and Canada. This system is characterized by authority granted to local 'districts' which can vary by municipality, county, or region. A decline in the quality of K–12 education has been identified as a contributing factor to the erosion of America's social fabric and the increasing elusiveness of the American Dream, alongside economic drivers like inflated higher education and housing costs.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Stages (US)
Elementary school (K/1-2/3/4/5/6), Middle school/Junior high school (5/6/7-8/9), High school/Senior high school (9/10-12)
System Type
Publicly supported primary and secondary education
Grades Covered
Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12)
Providers (US)
Government-funded public schools, private schools, homeschooling
Primary Countries
United States, Canada
Typical Age Range
5-6 years old (Kindergarten) to 17-18 years old (12th grade)
Compulsory Education (US)
Yes, age 14-18 depending on state
Governance Structure (US)
Local 'districts' specific to a municipality, county, or multiple regions
Curriculum Requirements (US)
State-set minimums, generally including Science, Mathematics, English, Social sciences, Physical education; often foreign language, art, health
Other Countries with Similar Systems
Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaK–12
K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an English language expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States and Canada, which is similar to publicly supported school grades before tertiary education in several other countries, such as Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, the Philippines, South Korea, and Turkey. K–12 refers to the American system which affords authority to local intersectional "districts" which may be specific to a municipality, county, or several regions, depending on population and proximity.
Web Search Results
- K–12 education in the United States
K–12 education in the United States includes primary education starting in kindergarten, and secondary education ending in grade 12. Government-funded free schools are generally provided for these grades, but private schools and homeschooling are also possible. Most children begin elementary education with kindergarten (usually five to six years old) and finish secondary education with twelfth grade (usually 17–18 years old). In some cases, pupils may be promoted beyond the next regular grade. [...] "Middle school" (or "junior high school") has a variable range between districts. It usually includes sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (or other times only seventh and eighth), occasionally also includes ninth, and very occasionally fifth grades as well. High school (occasionally senior high school) includes grades 9 through 12. Students in these grades are commonly referred to as freshmen (grade 9), sophomores (grade 10), juniors (grade 11), and seniors (grade 12). At the high school level, [...] Each state sets minimum requirements for how many years of various mandatory subjects are required; these requirements vary widely, but generally include 2–4 years of each of: Science, Mathematics, English, Social sciences, Physical education; some years of a foreign language and some form of art education are often also required, as is a health curriculum in which students learn about anatomy, nutrition, first aid, sexuality, drug awareness, and birth control.
- K–12
K–12,( from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an English language expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States and Canada, which is similar to publicly supported school grades before tertiary education in several other countries, such as Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, the Philippines, South Korea, and Turkey. K–12 refers to the American system which affords authority to local [...] Etymology --------- [edit] Image 4 "The structure of education in the United States" The expression "K–12" is a shortening of kindergarten (K) for 5–6 year olds through twelfth grade (12) for 17–18 year-olds, as the first and last grades, respectively, of free education( in these countries. The related term "P–12" is also occasionally used in Australia and the United States to refer to the sum of K–12 plus preschool education.( [...] The accompanying image illustrates the education system in the United States. The table shows the progression of the education system starting with the basic K–12 system then progressing through post-secondary education. K–14 refers to K–12 plus two years of post-secondary where training was received from vocational-technical institutions or community or junior colleges. K–16 is 12 years of compulsory education plus a 4-year undergrad program. The K numbers refer to the years of educational
- Education in the United States
## K–12 education The U.S. is governed by federal, state, and local education policy. Education is compulsory for all children, but the age at which one can discontinue schooling varies by state and is from 14 to 18 years old. Free public education is typically provided from Kindergarten (ages 5 and 6) to 12th Grade (ages 17 and 18). Around 85% of students enter public schooling while the remainder are educated through homeschooling or privately funded schools. [...] | Higher education | Grade level | | --- | --- | | College, University | Freshman | | Sophomore | | Junior | | Senior | | Graduate school (with various degrees and curricular partitions thereof) | | In K–12 education, sometimes students who receive failing grades are held back a year and repeat coursework in the hope of earning satisfactory scores on the second try. In 2016, 1.9% of students were held back a year.(compared to the 3.1% in 2000) [...] In the U.S., ordinal numbers (e.g., first grade) are used for identifying grades. Typical ages and grade groupings in contemporary, public, and private schools may be found through the U.S. Department of Education. Generally, there are three stages: elementary school (grades K/1–2/3/4/5/6), intermediate school (3/4–5/6), middle school / junior high school (grades 5/6/7–8/9), and high school / senior high school (grades 9/10–12). There is variability in the exact arrangement of grades by state,
- K12 Online School Programs for All Grade Levels
alt-card-3 ## 25+ Years of Experience in Online Education WHO WE SERVE ## Supporting K–12 Students Across the Country We meet students where they are—academically and geographically. From tuition-free public schools to tuition-based private schools, K12 offers flexibility for students and families no matter their ZIP code. Homepage image 1 (name K12 HP WhoWeAre Desktop) ## Elementary School Grades K-5 ## Middle School Grades 6-8 ## High School Grades 9-12 HOW IT WORKS [...] Enrollment for the 2025 school year is open! Learn how you can apply. Logo Menu ### Why K12 ##### Why K12? The leader in online education since 2000, K12 provides personalized, flexible learning that helps students thrive. Learn More About K12Why K12? Why K12? Happy face icon Why K12 icon Safety Needs icon How Students Succeed icon FAQs icon ### Academics ##### Elementary School Grades K-5 ##### Middle School Grades 6-8 ##### High School Grades 9-12 [...] K12 guarantees all eligible students enrolled in K12-powered public schools graduate with a high school diploma—or we’ll pay for their education until they do. Get to Graduation Day ## Your Child’s Graduation, Guaranteed K12 guarantees all eligible students enrolled in K12-powered public schools graduate with a high school diploma—or we’ll pay for their education until they do. REAL K12 STORIES ## Why Families Love Us Donesha photo
- Savvas Learning Company: K-12 Learning | Education ...
ContactElementary (K-5)Middle School (6-8)High School (9-12) See Solutions Image 2: Discover Savvas K–12 education curriculum and K-12 learning solutions. ### Noteworthy Teaching Solutions Explore Image 3: NAEP-homepagetile460x270.jpg ### NAEP Results Show Growth NAEP results highlight the successes of urban school districts using _enVision® Mathematics._ Explore Image 4: 2025SummerImpact460x270.jpg ### Savvas Summer School Curriculum