Education in the United States is provided mainly by the government, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. At the primary and secondary school levels, curricula, funding, teaching, and other policies are set through locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over school districts. School districts can be (but are not always) coextensive with counties or municipalities. Educational standards and standardized testing decisions are usually made by the states through acts of the state legislature and governor, and decisions of the state departments of education.
Children are required to attend school until the age of 16-18 depending on the state. Many more states now require children to attend school until the age of 18. Students may attend public, private, or home schools. In most public and private schools, education is divided into three levels: elementary school, middle school, and high school. Grade levels in each vary from area to area.…