Know Your State System

School Stats: According to AL.com, there are approximately 724,178 children enrolled in Alabama's public schools as of 2020. Alabama also enacted public charter school legislation in 2015 that currently serves around 1,200 students. Private and homeschool numbers are not tracked, but approximately 4,000 students took advantage of Alabama's tax-credit school choice program in the state's private schools last year.

School Stats: The Alaska Department of Education reports that 130,394 students enrolled in the public school system for the 2020-2021 academic year. Anchorage had the highest concentration of students, with an attendance of 41,902. Other school options in Alaska include charter and correspondence schools. There is no limit to the number of charter schools allowed in the state.

School Stats: According to Arizona School Report Cards, there are 732 public school districts in the state. Of these, 228 are traditional, 457 are charter, and 47 are other school organizations like college prep schools, accelerated schools, and art or science academies. There are exactly 2,485 public schools in Arizona. They are broken down into 1,563 district schools, 596 charter schools, 278 career and technical education district schools (CTED), and 48 other specialized public schools.

School Stats: The Arkansas Department of Education Data Center reports there are 1,041 K-12 public schools in the state. Arkansas has 262 school districts, 24 open-enrollment charter school districts, and 15 education service co-operatives. Within these districts, there are 519 elementary schools, 216 middle/junior high schools, and 306 high schools. In the 2020-2021 school year, Arkansas had 33,507 certified teachers, 473,004 K-12 enrolled students, and approximately 33,021 high school graduates.

School Stats: According to Ed Data, there were 6,163,001 students enrolled in the California public school system as of 2020.

     In 2020, California had 2,695 private schools attended by 449,815 students.

School Choice: The Colorado Department of Education records 883,199 public school students enrolled for the 2020-2021 academic year. Those students attend one of the 178 districts in the state, most of which are considered rural. In fact, 88 districts have fewer than 500 students. There are approximately 1,914 public schools in the state.

School Stats: EdSight reports that for the 2020-2021 academic year, there were 205 school districts in Connecticut. Last year, 513,079 students enrolled in the state’s 1,517 public schools. As for performance, Connecticut has an 88.8% four-year cohort graduation rate. (The national average cohort graduation rate was 85% as of 2018.)

School Choice: The Delaware Department of Education reports that in 2020 there were approximately 138,414 K-12 students enrolled in the public school system—including state, district, and charter schools. The state's graduation rate is 87.7%.

School Choice: While Washington, D.C. isn’t a state, its governing educational body is still referred to as a “state board of education.” According to the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), there were 49,890 students enrolled for the 2020-2021 academic year. Students can choose from a wide variety of programs in DCPS to enhance their learning experience, including dual language programs, career academics, advanced placement (AP) courses, study abroad programs, and internships. In the 117 schools in DC, there are 114 principals, 181 assistant principals, and 4,210 teachers. 

School Choice: The Georgia Department of Education reports that in 2021, there are 2,306 public schools in the state. Of those, 14 are K-12, 1,328 are elementary schools, 480 are middle schools, and 484 are high schools. There are 1,723,127 students enrolled in Georgia public schools with a graduation rate of 83.8% as of 2020. 

     Georgia also has 853 private schools (with 153,859 students enrolled); finally, the state runs the Georgia Virtual School program, an online option that parents may wish to consider as a supplement to public, private, or homeschool education.  

School Choice: Hawaii is the only state to have just one public school district! Hawaii’s single school district covers 257 public schools and 37 charter schools with about 180,000 students total. There are almost 22,000 full-time school staff members and close to 13,000 teachers serving these schools. 

     Close to 100,000 military service members and their families live in Hawaii either temporarily or long-term. As a result, almost 11% of Hawaii’s students are from military families. With the unique challenges that military families face, the Hawaii Department of Education works with those families to make the transition process into the state’s public school system easier on kids. 

School Choice: The Idaho State Department of Education reports that in 2020, there were 304,557 students enrolled in the 714 public schools in the state. Over 85% of the high school seniors in 2020 took part in advanced opportunities or obtained industry certifications. Nine out of ten teachers that taught in the 2018-2019 academic year continued teaching the following year.

School Choice: The Illinois Report Card shares that in 2020, Illinois had 852 school districts and 3,859 public schools. There are 1,957,018 students enrolled with 130,389 teachers. The graduation rate is 88%.

     For other school options, Illinois has 1,660 private schools with 268,364 students enrolled. About 56% of them are religiously affiliated. As for homeschooling, Illinois does not have an official registration process. However, the state requires homeschool students to take certain courses.

School Choice: The Indiana Department of Education reports that there are 1,847 public schools in the state. These schools have 1,112,611 students enrolled and 79,120 educators. Indiana is a diverse state, with students that speak over 290 languages.

School Choice: As of 2020, the Iowa Department of Education reported having 327 public school districts with 490,094 students enrolled. The state has 1,310 school buildings with 37,567 teachers. The graduation rate is 91.6%.

     Iowa has 243 private schools with 46,500 students enrolled. About 84% of them are religiously affiliated, the majority being Roman Catholic or Christian. As for homeschooling, Iowa offers a few educational options, such as homeschooling with a certified teacher, private instruction, part-time homeschooling with part-time school district attendance, and attendance at a non-accredited school.

School Choice: The Kansas State Department of Education reports there are 476,435 students enrolled in the state’s public schools. There are 1,334 public school districts and 10 charter schools (which also count as a public school option). As for other schools of choice, there are 821 private schools of various types in Kansas, with homeschooling counted as a non-accredited private school.

School Choice: According to the Kentucky Department of Education, the state has 171 school districts with 1,477 public schools. There are 647,987 public school students with 42,304 teachers. The graduation rate is 91.1%.

     There are 857 local school board seats in Kentucky. Most districts have five elected members per board. Parents are highly involved in the state, with 2,474 of them serving on SBDM (school-based decision-making) councils.

School Choice: The Louisiana Department of Education reports there are 1,303 public schools within 70 districts in the state. Louisiana ranked number one in the nation in 2019 for improved math scores and proficiency rates in 8^th-grade. The state’s rate of improvement in scores since 2009 far exceeds the national average, with an increase in the percentage of students earning exemplary scores since implementing new standards-aligned tests.

School Choice: According to the Maine Policy Institute, there are 172,636 students enrolled in Maine’s 595 public schools. These include charter schools and career and technical (CTE) schools. Children can attend schools outside of the district they live in, as long as they receive approval from the school board and their parents. 

School Choice: Maryland has over 1,400 public schools in 24 school systems that serve the state’s 23 counties. There are 909,414 students enrolled, with the state reaching a new enrollment record in 2019-2020. The attendance rate is 93.5% with a graduation rate of 87.75%.

School Choice: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports there are 911,529 students enrolled in public schools in the state, including charter schools. Over 75,000 teachers teach those students. There are 400 school districts with 1,840 public schools in the state.

     Other school options include one of the 860 private schools in the state, homeschooling, and learning pods. If families do elect to homeschool, most school districts require families to notify them.

School Choice: The Michigan Department of Education reports there were 1,437,612 public school students enrolled for the 2020-21 academic year. Those students were served by 110,788 teachers. The attendance rate for grades K-12 in Michigan is 92.91%, and the 4-year graduation rate for high school seniors is 82.07%.

     Mississippi families have several types of schools to choose from. The state is home to traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, homeschool, learning pods, and online schools. Mississippi also offers some open enrollment policies for school districts, meaning that families may send their children to a public school outside their district of residence. However, individual school districts get to decide their own open enrollment policy. The state only requires that school districts have open enrollment for children who live 30 miles or more away from their district school. If families wish to send their children to private school, they will have to pay tuition, but the state offers some scholarship programs to children with special needs.

     Mississippi has made steady improvements in education in recent years. The graduation rate for 2021 was over 87%, higher than the national average of 86% in the same year. The dropout rate has declined in the past five years. In 2016, it was at 11.8%, and in 2021, it went down to 8.8%. Mississippi’s national ranking has improved, having risen from the low of #50 to #39 out of all states. Mississippi ranks first in the nation for most improvement in 4^th-grade reading and math scores.

 

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School Choice: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports there are 859,320 K-12 public school students enrolled in the state. The four-year graduation rate is 89.21%. Students in career-technical education graduate at a higher rate of 91.3%.

 

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School Choice: According to the Nebraska Department of Education, there are 324,176 students and 23,985 teachers in the public school system. The state has a 93% attendance rate with a 1% dropout rate. The graduation rate is 88%. 

 

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School Choice: The Nevada Department of Education reports that 482,364 public school students were enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year. The state has 752 public schools with 27,308 teachers. The graduation rate is 82.57%. 

     Nonpublic education options in Nevada include private school, online school, and homeschooling. While private schools charge tuition, Nevada has a school choice program that allows families that are at or below 300% of the federal poverty line to apply for scholarship funding. Online learning is another way to meet the unique needs of families, such as if children need a quieter learning environment or a specific learning pace. Additionally, Nevada families may choose to homeschool their children, an option that is legal in all 50 states. If families do decide to homeschool, they must notify the state.

 

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School Choice: As stated by the New Hampshire Department of Education, 167,910 public school students are enrolled in the state. The dropout rate is 1.3%, and the four-year graduation rate is 86.6%. Zero students were expelled in the past two years.

     New Hampshire has a Town Tuitioning Program, which means that if your school does not offer classes for your child’s grade level, then the district will pay to send your child elsewhere. This program is not limited to public schools; it may also cover religious private schools. Private schools in New Hampshire are diverse, ranging from faith-based classes to special education assistance. While private schools charge tuition, the state offers various scholarship programs to help with funding. Other nonpublic school options include homeschooling, learning pods, and online school.

School Choice: The New Jersey Department of Education reports there are 1.28 million students enrolled in the state’s 2,493 public schools. The four-year graduation rate is 91% and only 1% of students drop out. The state has 129,689 full-time classroom teachers in the 599 school districts. New Jersey has some interdistrict public school options for families, which ensure that a child’s zip code is not the determining factor of their education. However, New Jersey school districts set their own open enrollment policies. 

     As for other schooling options, New Jersey has private schools, online schools, homeschooling, and learning pods. New Jersey’s private schools and online schools offer specialized learning programs, but they charge tuition. Families may also choose to homeschool their children, whether they choose a traditional homeschooling method or employ learning pods as an option for students to gather together to study. In New Jersey, families are not required to notify the state of their intent to homeschool. 

School Choice: The New Mexico Public Education Department reports that 331,636 students are enrolled in the public school system. The attendance rate is 83%, and graduation rates have stayed roughly the same over the past few years: 74% of students graduate in four years, 76% in five, and 78% in six. Out of parents and students surveyed, 41 out of 50 believe their school is a good place to learn. 

     As for alternatives to public school, New Mexico has several private schools to choose from, which may offer a religious education or a specialized curriculum. New Mexico private schools charge tuition, and there are no state-run scholarships for school choice. Private scholarships may be available. Families can also homeschool their children, in which case they must notify the state of their intent.

School Choice: According to the New York State Education Department, 2,512,973 students are enrolled in the state’s K-12 public school system. About half of those students attend the New York City school system—the largest U.S. school district. New York has 731 districts with 4,411 traditional public schools and 360 charter schools. There are 212,296 public school teachers, and the statewide graduation rate is 86%. 

     In New York, school districts can decide whether to participate in open enrollment, allowing families to attend a school outside of their assigned district. Families may also choose to send their children to one of the state’s 1,800 private schools. While private schools charge tuition and there aren’t any state-run scholarships, many New York private schools work with organizations to help families with funding. Homeschooling is another New York option; families must annually notify the state.

School Choice: The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports that their public school system has 1,469,401 students. There are 118 districts in the state, with 2,467 total schools. In 2021, 72,065 students enrolled in AP classes and 56,619 students enrolled in Career & College Promise (CCP), North Carolina’s dual enrollment program for high school students. The statewide graduation rate is 87%.

     North Carolina is starting its first-ever Parent Advisory Commission to allow parents a direct say in their child’s education. The commission will be comprised of 48 parents or guardians, 6 from each of the 8 educational regions of the state. Members will discuss current education issues and make recommendations for policymakers, state officials, and the state superintendent.

School Choice: According to National School Choice Week, most of the 170,000 children in North Dakota attend public schools. North Dakota school districts can determine their own open enrollment policies, which allow families to attend schools outside of their assigned district. This type of school choice enables a family to pick a school that better suits their unique needs. While North Dakota has some school choice in its districts, the state is one of the few in the U.S. that does not have public charter or magnet schools. 

School Choice: Ohio has the sixth-largest public school system in the U.S., serving over 1.8 million students, according to the Ohio School Boards Association. The state’s public school system employs more than 240,000 full-time workers. Ohio’s public schools have been outperforming its charter schools; 40.1% of the state’s charter schools are failing, compared to only 1.5% of public schools that are in academic emergency or watch.

     Under Ohio law, parents or legal guardians have the right to review their child’s curriculum. They may request to see any type of instructional material before it’s taught to their child. Districts must provide the requested material in a timely manner. Schools must also allow for easy access to state academic standards. Ohio schools encourage families to engage with teachers to ensure their children succeed.

     There are a number of Ohio school options to choose from. In Ohio’s traditional public schools, some districts offer open enrollment. Charter schools, or what Ohio refers to as “community” schools, are another public school option. Ohio also has private schools, with a few state-run scholarships that can assist families with tuition. Additionally, Ohio families may choose to homeschool their children; they are legally required to notify the state.

School Choice: According to Oklahoma School Report Cards, 693,824 students enrolled in the state’s public school system in 2021. Enrollment went down from the previous year (703,456). The most recent data available in 2019 show that 85.97% of students were considered “in good attendance.”

School Choice: The Oregon Department of Education reports there are over 1,200 K-12 public schools within the state’s 197 districts. From 2016 to 2020, Oregon experienced a gradual increase in public school enrollment. After pandemic conditions hit in 2020, Oregon had over 20,000 students disenroll from the public school system. For the 2020-2021 year, 560,917 students enrolled in Oregon’s public schools. In the same year, there were over 70,000 full-time school staff, with 30,000 being teachers.

School Choice: Using the most recent data available, the Pennsylvania Department of Education reports that 1,696,022 students are enrolled in its public school system. The state has 120,834 public school teachers and an average four-year graduation rate of 86.6%.

School Choice: According to the Rhode Island Department of Education, 139,184 students enrolled in the public school system in 2020. The state has 66 districts, which are known as Local Education Agencies in Rhode Island. There are 311 public schools in the state staffed by 11,572 teachers. The graduation rate is 83.6%.

School Choice: The South Carolina Department of Education’s state report cards show there are 766,819 public school students with 53,689 teachers in the state. The statewide graduation rate is 83.3%. 

School Choice: According to the South Dakota Department of Education, 135,984 students are in the state’s public school system. Public school enrollment has actually gone up since 2018-2019’s pre-pandemic numbers (134,993). South Dakota has 149 districts with 687 schools. There are 9,825 public school teachers, and the attendance rate is 88%.

School Choice: The Tennessee Department of Education reports that 957,423 students are enrolled in the state’s 1,800 public schools. Tennessee has over 70,000 public school employees, including educators, principals, supervisors, and other professional employees. There are 68,838 teachers in the state, making the ratio of students to teachers 14:1.

School Choice: Texas Association of School Boards reports there are 1,029 public school districts in the state. All of Texas’ school districts are independent, except for one municipal school district. An independent school district means that it has its own taxing authority outside the direct influence of other government systems, including the state and county. A few of the independent districts are consolidated, meaning they are formed from two or more school districts. There are 5,142,402 students enrolled in Texas’ 8,084 public schools.

School Choice: According to the Utah State Board of Education, 674,351 students are enrolled in the state’s public schools, including charter schools. The number is split between 596,601 in traditional public schools, and 77,750 in charter schools. Utah’s graduation rate is 88.1%, while the dropout rate is 10%.

School Choice: EdChoice reports that Vermont has what’s called a Town Tuitioning Program, which serves as a voucher program to give education options to families whose towns do not have public schools. The Town Tuitioning Program started in 1869, making it the nation’s oldest school choice program. The program enables education funding to follow the eligible student to any public or private non-religious school in or outside of Vermont.

School Choice: The Virginia Department of Education reports that the state’s on-time graduation rate is 93%. There were 1,251,970 students enrolled in the public school system for the 2021-2022 school year. However, the number of students enrolled has decreased exponentially over the past few years as many families are opting to homeschool instead. For instance, from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021, the number of public school to homeschool transfers increased by 90%.

School Choice: School Choice Week reports that most children in Washington attend public school. Washington has limited open enrollment between school districts, which would allow families to attend schools outside of their assigned district. If families wish to make a transfer between school districts, they will have to check with their district to see if it is an option. Washington also offers 14 “Skill Centers” that give career training to high schoolers across several districts. Additionally, Washington has charter and magnet schools, which may have a specialized curriculum, such as a STEM or literacy-based program.

School Choice: According to the West Virginia Department of Education, 250,899 are students enrolled in the public school system. West Virginia’s public school enrollment has been on a steady decline since 2015 with 279,899 students reportedly enrolled. The attendance rate is 94.8%, and the state’s four-year high school graduation rate is 91.1%.

School Choice: School Choice Wisconsin reports that the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, launched in 1990, was the country’s first school choice program that allowed low-income families to attend private schools. In 1995, the program grew to include religious schools. Now, Wisconsin has four private school choice programs: in addition to the Milwaukee program, there’s one in Racine, one statewide, and one for special needs children. 

School Choice: The Wyoming Department of Education reports that 91,938 students are enrolled in the public school system. The state has 347 public schools with 7,579 teachers. The 4-year graduation rate is 82.3%.