Public School

Public School Education and Citizens Rights 
Public school education has a profound effect on every aspect of American society. Homeowner’s tax dollars pay for public education. Because homeowner’s tax dollars pay for public education, implementing the right to demand that the public school system function efficiently and effectively is vital.

Public School Education versus Private School Education
Private Schools have become a choice preference for parents over enrolling their children in a designated neighborhood public school. However, test scores for Private Schools seem to show no perceptible increase in the case of children who have transferred to private schools under choice programs.

There are many public schools that are excellent school choices and provide superior education as compared to any private school.  In addition, many private schools do not offer the special education services that public schools offer for academically challenged children and for children with various disabilities such as visual impairments and other disabilities.  Public schools are not only designed for the very gifted child but also for the child who may not be as gifted and requires additional encouragement and assistance.

With a public school education, children with various disabilities and children who have learning disabilities receive special services.  This type of special care is not offered many times with private school education.  Private school education tends to be designed for children who have very minimal challenges.  They tend to be of more service to those who are already exceptionally academically endowed.

Public Schools and Government Financing
In many countries, a public school is financed and operated by a government agency which does not charge tuition fees.  Financing is instead, acquired through taxes or other government-collected revenues compared private schools that charge for tuition. 

Public Schools in the United States
Public schools range in class availability from kindergarten to four years of high school or secondary school within the United States.

Public school education in the United States is endowed mainly by local governments.  The control and funding comes from three levels of government: federal, state, and local. The Core Curriculum, funding, teaching, and other guidelines are placed through locally nominated school boards which preside over school districts.

Generally, state governments can set minimum standards relating to approximately all actions of primary and secondary schools.  This also includes funding and authorizations to endorse local school taxes to maintain the schools.  These local school taxes essentially involve real property taxes. The national government funds support to various states and public school districts that meet minimum federal standards.
 
Public School and Academic Grade Level Structure
Public school is normally divided up into three stages which include primary referred to as elementary school (kindergarten to 4th or 5th or 6th grade), junior high also referred to as “intermediate,” or "middle" school (5th or 6th or 7th to 8th) and high school (9th to 12th grade level) which is also referred to as “secondary school.”

Middle School Grade Level Structure
The public school middle school grade level structure is increasing in popularity whereas the Elementary School contains kindergarten through 5th grade and the Middle School contains 6th through 8th grade. Moreover, some elementary schools are dividing into two levels.  Separate buildings are also implemented in some cases.  Primary (usually K-2) and Intermediate (3-4 or 3-5) may be in one building and middle schools consisting of only 7th and 8th grades may be in an entirely different building.

The public school K-8th arrangement is also a rising popular concept whereas students may attend only two schools for all of their K-12 education. Many charter schools have the K-8 set-up wherein all primary grades are housed in one area of the school while the Junior high school aged students are housed in another section of the school.

Some very small school rural area districts continue to maintain a K-12 public school system wherein all students regardless of the grade level and age are housed in one single school.

Public Schools of Higher Education
In the United States, school institutions of higher education that are financially supported by U.S. state agencies are also referred to as "public" schools.  Yet, unlike public secondary schools, public universities charge tuition.  The fees however, can still be subsidized mainly for "in-state" students.  The fees are also generally less than the tuition charged by private universities.

Many trust that the public school system is a critical element of the infrastructure of the United States. Public schools are accessible to all citizens despite a citizen’s income level. Public schools meet an essential community need by generating informed people and by promoting general welfare of people by producing a more skilled and experienced workforce within the communities.

Many also believe public school users benefit from government funding by choosing to attend and participate in the public school system.  Therefore, parents acquire a lesser cost (if any at all) for their children to attend public schools than their tuition-paying private-school counterpart parents who pay for their children to attend private schools.