Primary and Secondary Schools in The United States

Schooling in the United States runs from kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) and is organised by the states and local school districts rather than by a national ministry. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), about 49.6 million students attended public elementary and secondary schools in fall 2022, and 4.7 million K-12 students attended private schools in fall 2021, about 9 percent of the total. There were 98,577 public schools in 2020-21 and 30,492 private schools in 2019-20.

Our directory lists 207 primary and secondary schools in the United States, from small Montessori and church schools to large public high schools and boarding schools. Many are on the East Coast; Greenville (South Carolina), Wilmington (Delaware) and Washington, DC have the most.

How K-12 schools work

Children usually start with kindergarten, followed by elementary school, middle school (or junior high) and high school, which covers grades 9 to 12; in fall 2022, 32.5 million public school students were in kindergarten to grade 8 and 15.5 million in grades 9 to 12. The age of compulsory attendance is set by each state: in 2017 it ranged, for example, from 7 to 16 in Alaska to 6 to 19 in Texas. High school ends with a high school diploma, whose requirements are set by the state and the school.

The main types of school are:

• Public schools: run by local districts and free for residents; some offer the International Baccalaureate (IB), dual enrollment with colleges or career programmes, as Southside High School in Greenville does
• Charter schools: schools funded by taxpayers but run independently under a charter; for visa purposes they count as public schools
• Private (independent or religious) schools: charge tuition and set their own curriculum and admission; many in our directory are Catholic, Quaker or other Christian schools, and some follow the Montessori method
• Boarding schools: private schools where students live on campus, often with a large international community; Brewster Academy in New Hampshire reports 350 students from more than 20 countries, and The Bolles School in Florida a community representing 69 countries
• International and online schools: Rochambeau, The French International School, near Washington teaches from age 2 to grade 12 and is accredited by the French Ministry of Education, with an IB programme; Forest Trail Academy is an online K-12 school with Advanced Placement (AP) classes and an international student programme

Admission and visas for international students

Private schools set their own admission process and requirements, so check each school's admissions page. For a full course of study, international students need an F-1 student visa and a Form I-20 issued by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). The rules for public schools are strict: F-1 students at a public high school, including charter schools, may study for no more than 12 months in total, and must first reimburse the school district for the full, unsubsidised cost of their education.

The other route is a one-year exchange on a J-1 visa through the U.S. Department of State's Secondary School Student programme. Students study at an accredited public or private high school and live with a host family or at a boarding school. They must be 15 to 18 and a half years old at the start, must not have completed more than 11 years of school (not counting kindergarten), and may not have studied in the United States on an F-1 or J-1 before. Exchange students may not hold jobs or live with relatives, and host families must provide three meals a day.

Costs

Public schools are free for local residents, but an F-1 student must pay the full cost per student. As a guide, current spending on public elementary and secondary education was $15,591 per student in 2021-22, according to NCES; the actual amount is set by each district. Private and boarding school tuition varies widely and is published by each school, so compare the fees, what boarding includes, and any financial aid the school offers.

How to choose a school in the United States

• Visa route: F-1 at a private school for a full programme, F-1 at a public high school for up to 12 months, or a J-1 exchange year
• Day or boarding: boarding schools look after accommodation and supervision; day schools require a family or host family nearby
• Curriculum: standard high school diploma, AP courses, the IB or a national curriculum such as the French baccalauréat
• Accreditation: check the school's accreditation and, for F-1 students, its SEVP certification
• Religious character and method: many private schools are faith-based; others follow approaches such as Montessori

Frequently asked questions

Can international students attend a public high school in the United States?

Yes, but on an F-1 visa only for up to 12 months in total, and only after paying the district the full cost of their education. Exchange students on a J-1 visa can also attend public high schools.

What is the difference between an F-1 and a J-1 for high school?

An F-1 lets a student enrol for a full programme at a school certified by SEVP. A J-1 is for an exchange of up to a year through a sponsor, with a host family or boarding school, for students aged 15 to 18 and a half.

At what age do children start school in the United States?

Each state sets the compulsory age; in 2017 it started at 5, 6, 7 or 8 years depending on the state, and most children begin with kindergarten.

Do US boarding schools accept international students?

Many do. Brewster Academy reports students from more than 20 countries, and The Bolles School a community representing 69 countries.