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SchoolGrades

US Public School Statistics (2026)

Key statistics about public education in the United States, sourced from NCES and EDFacts federal data. Updated April 2026.

95,891
Total Public Schools
49,313,892
Total Students Enrolled
17,763
School Districts
51
States & DC

Key Education Statistics

95,891public schools operate in the United StatesSource: NCES Common Core of Data
49,313,892students are enrolled in US public schoolsSource: NCES Common Core of Data
17,763school districts manage public education nationallySource: NCES Common Core of Data
49%average proficiency rate in combined math and readingSource: EDFacts Assessment Data

10 Largest US Public Schools by Enrollment

#SchoolLocationEnrollment
1Commonwealth Charter Academy CSHarrisburg, PA20,355
2Epic Charter School ElementaryOklahoma City, OK15,223
3Texas Virtual Academy at HallsvilleHallsville, TX14,830
4Ohio Virtual AcademyMaumee, OH14,334
5Epic Charter School High SchoolOklahoma City, OK13,255
6Pennsylvania Cyber CSMidland, PA9,838
7Texas Connections Academy at HoustonHouston, TX8,967
8Georgia Cyber AcademyAtlanta, GA8,876
9Digital Education CenterTooele, UT8,561
10Alabama Connections AcademyAthens, AL7,063

See full list: Largest public schools in America

Public School Enrollment by State

#StateSchoolsEnrollmentAvg Proficiency
1California10,0065,837,86845%
2Texas9,0615,519,59944%
3Florida4,0292,870,13048%
4New York4,8122,505,43147%
5Illinois3,8451,852,24248%
6Georgia2,3151,750,97244%
7Ohio3,5861,679,31153%
8Pennsylvania2,9301,672,69546%
9North Carolina2,7031,541,72243%
10Michigan3,3991,387,22247%
11New Jersey2,5091,349,88756%
12Virginia1,8691,260,35146%
13Arizona2,1861,131,72048%
14Washington2,4651,090,22749%
15Indiana1,8651,035,83349%
16Tennessee1,8441,005,62650%
17Massachusetts1,831913,73550%
18Missouri2,321892,24649%
19Maryland1,383889,96049%
20Colorado1,923870,81951%

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 95,891 public schools in the United States across 17,763 school districts, serving 49,313,892 students. This data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data.

The national average proficiency rate across US public schools is approximately 49% in combined math and reading, based on EDFacts assessment data. Rates vary significantly by state, district, and school.

All statistics are sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and EDFacts assessment results published by the U.S. Department of Education. These are official federal datasets updated annually.

This data was last updated April 2026. NCES releases new Common Core of Data annually, typically with a 1-2 year lag from the school year being reported.

Cite This Data

When referencing these statistics, please cite: “US Public School Statistics 2026, SchoolGrades (openschooldata.org), based on NCES Common Core of Data and EDFacts assessment results.”

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