Public schools (state-funded) provide free education for students who live in the local area and are funded by local taxes and funding from the state and federal governments. About 85-90% of students in the US attend public schools.
Most commonly, students in the public school system will attend the local school assigned to them by their school district. However, some districts provide magnet (specialised), charter and international schools, to which students may apply. Due to this system, families often take into account the assigned schools for particular neighbourhoods when choosing a new area in which to live.
Although public schools are open to students at all educational levels, students may be grouped in class sections (Advanced Placement, honours, vocational classes, etc.) based upon achievement and post-graduation goals (for example, earning a bachelor's degree, attending a community college, or entering the workforce).
Private schools charge a fee for attendance and may have a smaller student population than public schools. They are often governed by a private board and subsequently are often not subject to regulations on curriculum or teaching qualifications set by the state. About 10% of students in the US attend private schools.
Assessment
Unlike in the UK, there is no national curriculum, and therefore US schools do not prepare students for national examinations such as the GCSEs, Highers, AS or A-levels. Rather students work toward completing a high school diploma (the requirements for which are set by each state), and are assessed for university entry based on GPA, class rank within the year group, rigour of classes taken (AP, honours, regular) and admissions tests. Students are generally assessed continually throughout the semester via a combination of tests, mid-term/final exams, essays, quizzes, homework assignments, classroom participation, group work, projects and attendance. This assessment culminates with a final "grade" for each course awarded at the end of the semester.Marks can be given as letters (A+, A, B+, B, etc), or as numbers out of 100%. These grades are averaged over the student’s high school career, resulting in a Grade Point Average (GPA). Students may also receive a class rank, ranking his/her GPA amongst other members of his/her grade (year in school).
Generally the student's parents are sent a "report card" indicating the grades earned in each subject at the end of a quarter, semester or year. The student's overall academic history is recorded in a transcript which is later requested by universities seeking to evaluate the student. A "transcript" is an official document produced by the school listing the classes completed by the student, his/her marks (grades), GPA (grade point average), class rank and/or academic honours
