In the U.S., 20,656 districts oversee 133,397 schools, educating over 56 million students across public, private, Catholic, and charter institutions. Interestingly, over 8,000 districts have 500 students or less, making district size an important factor to consider when shaping educational outreach.
Here’s an overview of the school landscape by grade level:
75,365 schools serve grades K-5, with some extending to 8th grade, often feeding into a larger middle school and high school.
15,947 schools serve grades 6-8, guiding students through a pivotal transition period to secondary education.
23,844 high schools cover 9th-12th grade, preparing students for higher education and their careers—often consolidating students from multiple feeders.
18,241 specialized schools, including charter and special education, offer alternative educational paths.
In the U.S., 101,825 public schools make up about 76% of all schools, offering free public education to learners across the country. They serve primary school through secondary public school students, with options like magnet schools specializing in specific subjects and charter schools offering innovative learning environments.
Private schools, on the other hand, account for roughly 24% of U.S. schools. This includes 25,898 non-Catholic private schools and 5,674 Catholic schools. These institutions typically charge tuition for school funding and provide a range of K-12 education, including programs for private school students with special needs.
Understanding the distinct priorities, budgets, and decision-making processes of private institutions compared to public education is the foundation of targeted marketing campaigns that truly resonate.
Charter schools are publicly funded but privately run, offering more flexibility than traditional public schools. Operating under unique contracts, or “charters,” they have the freedom to innovate while still benefiting from federal government support. There are 8,424 charter schools across the U.S. today.
Of these, around 3,836 are part of larger Education Management Organizations (EMOs) or Charter Management Organizations (CMOs), which oversee multiple charter schools. With 390 EMOs and CMOs nationwide, charter schools continue to offer diverse educational opportunities and customized learning environments for every student.
The number of schools and student enrollment within districts vary widely across the U.S., from 167,011 students in Delaware to over 6 million in California. In addition, there are diverse educational systems and structures across different geographic regions. For education vendors, understanding these variations is key to tailoring strategies to each district’s unique needs.
| State | # Schools | # Students |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 13,978 | 6,663,852 |
| IL | 5,891 | 2,131,952 |
| OH | 4,846 | 1,923,249 |
| State | # Schools | # Students |
|---|---|---|
| FL | 7,875 | 3,584,846 |
| GA | 3,290 | 1,934,630 |
| TX | 11,221 | 6,000,933 |
| State | # Schools | # Students |
|---|---|---|
| NJ | 4,100 | 1,597,331 |
| NY | 6,894 | 2,983,641 |
| PA | 5,681 | 1,963,155 |
Title I is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance to school districts to help students from low-income families. A total of $15.52 billion federal Title I dollars are distributed to eligible schools through state and local education agencies for education program improvements to close educational achievement gaps. Schools with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students enrolled are eligible for Title I funding. To be eligible for these funds, a school typically must have at least 40% of its students that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
While Title I funds are often used for targeted support for students from low-income families, they can also be deployed more comprehensively within Title I Schoolwide programs, implemented so the entire school benefits from the Title I funding to elevate overall educational quality.
There are 56,465 Title I Schoolwide schools that qualify for Title I federal funding due to a high percentage of students from low-income families and use those funds to implement a comprehensive improvement plan that aims to enhance the academic program for all students within the school, rather than just targeting specific students identified as needing extra support.
Unlock the power of Agile Education Marketing’s K-12 Data Cloud, offering comprehensive, up-to-date information on K-12 schools nationwide. Valuable data is key to creating targeted marketing campaigns that reach decision-makers—from teachers to school district administrators and more.
Explore Agile’s K-12 Data Licenses to equip your team with data to inform your strategies and ensure your solutions connect with the right audience.
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