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| 2021 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 205.15. | Private elementary and secondary school enrollment, percentage distribution of private school enrollment, and private enrollment as a percentage of total enrollment in public and private schools, by school orientation and grade: Selected years, fall 1999 through fall 2019 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | 1999 | 2005 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Catholic | Other religious | Nonsectarian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Enrollment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades |
6,018,280 | (30,179) | 6,073,240 | (42,446) | 5,268,090 | (24,908) | 5,395,740 | (50,342) | 5,750,520 | (85,729) | 5,719,990 | (74,133) | 5,485,800 | (37,869) | 1,913,700 | (17,601) | 2,163,560 | (30,020) | 1,408,540 | (12,355) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten through grade 8 |
4,788,990 | (23,055) | 4,724,310 | (33,034) | 3,976,960 | (18,241) | 4,083,860 | (42,441) | 4,304,470 | (69,171) | 4,251,960 | (69,049) | 4,066,180 | (29,123) | 1,323,640 | (12,903) | 1,708,190 | (24,542) | 1,034,350 | (9,824) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten | 763,790 | (6,261) | 926,430 | (15,701) | 773,240 | (2,420) | 819,320 | (10,185) | 846,920 | (17,898) | 821,830 | (17,849) | 832,900 | (13,880) | 170,730 | (3,287) | 350,960 | (11,594) | 311,210 | (6,973) | ||||||||||
| Kindergarten | 593,690 | (4,053) | 547,590 | (4,887) | 449,820 | (2,989) | 461,730 | (5,429) | 466,470 | (8,411) | 456,880 | (7,890) | 433,610 | (2,613) | 132,850 | (1,591) | 181,940 | (2,005) | 118,830 | (1,198) | ||||||||||
| 1st grade | 472,110 | (2,080) | 421,120 | (2,826) | 348,730 | (2,191) | 357,860 | (4,963) | 373,850 | (6,901) | 361,030 | (6,042) | 339,220 | (2,314) | 120,850 | (1,337) | 151,260 | (1,896) | 67,110 | (477) | ||||||||||
| 2nd grade | 449,090 | (2,248) | 405,470 | (2,659) | 340,230 | (2,008) | 344,520 | (4,887) | 368,450 | (6,625) | 352,130 | (5,906) | 330,730 | (2,050) | 119,750 | (994) | 146,560 | (1,860) | 64,420 | (464) | ||||||||||
| 3rd grade | 436,730 | (1,962) | 398,120 | (2,462) | 336,150 | (1,850) | 338,840 | (4,193) | 364,290 | (6,479) | 354,400 | (6,167) | 333,460 | (2,319) | 122,540 | (1,221) | 145,890 | (2,074) | 65,020 | (399) | ||||||||||
| 4th grade | 425,140 | (1,956) | 391,530 | (2,297) | 328,950 | (1,921) | 337,440 | (4,508) | 357,820 | (6,202) | 355,650 | (5,831) | 331,300 | (2,090) | 122,700 | (1,085) | 143,560 | (1,919) | 65,040 | (401) | ||||||||||
| 5th grade | 407,590 | (2,019) | 389,720 | (2,379) | 330,390 | (1,832) | 337,950 | (4,192) | 354,710 | (5,903) | 358,720 | (5,811) | 339,650 | (2,214) | 127,480 | (1,232) | 143,850 | (1,951) | 68,320 | (509) | ||||||||||
| 6th grade | 403,110 | (2,094) | 393,220 | (2,280) | 341,690 | (1,766) | 344,960 | (4,820) | 372,750 | (7,276) | 374,200 | (6,861) | 359,080 | (2,970) | 133,140 | (1,583) | 148,910 | (2,279) | 77,020 | (841) | ||||||||||
| 7th grade | 384,140 | (2,140) | 390,550 | (4,093) | 336,770 | (1,684) | 343,370 | (4,317) | 367,920 | (6,574) | 370,920 | (6,791) | 358,820 | (3,174) | 134,230 | (1,792) | 145,190 | (2,350) | 79,400 | (837) | ||||||||||
| 8th grade | 369,580 | (2,285) | 387,720 | (4,024) | 336,670 | (1,951) | 343,500 | (3,717) | 363,840 | (7,047) | 374,210 | (6,444) | 360,510 | (3,181) | 135,140 | (1,923) | 142,150 | (2,201) | 83,230 | (946) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 84,000 | (1,267) | 72,830 | (1,916) | 54,300 | (672) | 54,380 | (1,061) | 67,440 | (11,164) | 72,000 | (12,109) | 46,900 | (1,092) | 4,240 | (†) | 7,920 | (†) | 34,740 | (1,092) | ||||||||||
| Grades 9 through 12 | 1,229,290 | (8,260) | 1,348,930 | (18,073) | 1,291,130 | (15,396) | 1,311,880 | (14,936) | 1,446,060 | (23,777) | 1,468,020 | (17,378) | 1,419,620 | (13,656) | 590,060 | (8,817) | 455,370 | (7,293) | 374,190 | (4,221) | ||||||||||
| 9th grade | 336,220 | (2,131) | 356,130 | (4,333) | 329,600 | (3,875) | 333,610 | (3,612) | 367,810 | (6,279) | 373,950 | (4,554) | 357,810 | (3,438) | 149,700 | (2,237) | 118,000 | (1,740) | 90,110 | (1,120) | ||||||||||
| 10th grade | 313,310 | (1,919) | 348,190 | (5,949) | 324,540 | (4,161) | 330,710 | (3,780) | 367,250 | (6,041) | 365,940 | (4,257) | 357,220 | (3,368) | 148,700 | (1,854) | 116,590 | (2,073) | 91,930 | (1,094) | ||||||||||
| 11th grade | 294,650 | (2,193) | 326,260 | (4,456) | 318,310 | (3,647) | 324,680 | (3,850) | 356,150 | (5,906) | 364,600 | (4,572) | 353,070 | (3,495) | 146,450 | (2,428) | 111,890 | (1,724) | 94,730 | (1,015) | ||||||||||
| 12th grade | 280,380 | (1,958) | 315,290 | (4,850) | 314,500 | (3,769) | 319,720 | (3,787) | 348,600 | (5,652) | 359,030 | (4,200) | 347,350 | (3,438) | 144,760 | (2,314) | 108,070 | (1,783) | 94,520 | (1,073) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 4,720 | (1,404) | 3,070 | (†) | 4,180 | (92) | 3,160 | (14) | 6,240 | (†) | 4,500 | (†) | 4,170 | (65) | 440 | (†) | 820 | (†) | 2,910 | (65) | ||||||||||
| Percentage distribution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades |
100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten through grade 8 |
79.6 | (0.06) | 77.8 | (0.22) | 75.5 | (0.23) | 75.7 | (0.22) | 74.9 | (0.27) | 74.3 | (0.35) | 74.1 | (0.17) | 69.2 | (0.33) | 79.0 | (0.20) | 73.4 | (0.21) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten | 12.7 | (0.08) | 15.3 | (0.21) | 14.7 | (0.08) | 15.2 | (0.15) | 14.7 | (0.22) | 14.4 | (0.22) | 15.2 | (0.21) | 8.9 | (0.15) | 16.2 | (0.42) | 22.1 | (0.38) | ||||||||||
| Kindergarten | 9.9 | (0.04) | 9.0 | (0.06) | 8.5 | (0.04) | 8.6 | (0.08) | 8.1 | (0.08) | 8.0 | (0.06) | 7.9 | (0.03) | 6.9 | (0.08) | 8.4 | (0.06) | 8.4 | (0.05) | ||||||||||
| 1st grade | 7.8 | (0.02) | 6.9 | (0.03) | 6.6 | (0.02) | 6.6 | (0.05) | 6.5 | (0.07) | 6.3 | (0.06) | 6.2 | (0.03) | 6.3 | (0.05) | 7.0 | (0.05) | 4.8 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 2nd grade | 7.5 | (0.01) | 6.7 | (0.03) | 6.5 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.05) | 6.4 | (0.06) | 6.2 | (0.05) | 6.0 | (0.03) | 6.3 | (0.05) | 6.8 | (0.05) | 4.6 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 3rd grade | 7.3 | (0.02) | 6.6 | (0.03) | 6.4 | (0.02) | 6.3 | (0.04) | 6.3 | (0.05) | 6.2 | (0.06) | 6.1 | (0.03) | 6.4 | (0.05) | 6.7 | (0.05) | 4.6 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 4th grade | 7.1 | (0.01) | 6.4 | (0.03) | 6.2 | (0.02) | 6.3 | (0.04) | 6.2 | (0.05) | 6.2 | (0.05) | 6.0 | (0.03) | 6.4 | (0.06) | 6.6 | (0.05) | 4.6 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 5th grade | 6.8 | (0.01) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 6.3 | (0.02) | 6.3 | (0.04) | 6.2 | (0.05) | 6.3 | (0.05) | 6.2 | (0.03) | 6.7 | (0.04) | 6.6 | (0.05) | 4.9 | (0.04) | ||||||||||
| 6th grade | 6.7 | (0.02) | 6.5 | (0.03) | 6.5 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.05) | 6.5 | (0.07) | 6.5 | (0.06) | 6.5 | (0.02) | 7.0 | (0.03) | 6.9 | (0.03) | 5.5 | (0.04) | ||||||||||
| 7th grade | 6.4 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 6.4 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.05) | 6.4 | (0.06) | 6.5 | (0.07) | 6.5 | (0.03) | 7.0 | (0.04) | 6.7 | (0.05) | 5.6 | (0.04) | ||||||||||
| 8th grade | 6.1 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 6.4 | (0.02) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 6.3 | (0.06) | 6.5 | (0.07) | 6.6 | (0.03) | 7.1 | (0.04) | 6.6 | (0.04) | 5.9 | (0.05) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 1.4 | (0.02) | 1.2 | (0.03) | 1.0 | (0.01) | 1.0 | (0.02) | 1.2 | (0.19) | 1.3 | (0.21) | 0.9 | (0.02) | 0.2 | (0.00) | 0.4 | (0.01) | 2.5 | (0.08) | ||||||||||
| Grades 9 through 12 | 20.4 | (0.06) | 22.2 | (0.22) | 24.5 | (0.23) | 24.3 | (0.22) | 25.1 | (0.27) | 25.7 | (0.35) | 25.9 | (0.17) | 30.8 | (0.33) | 21.0 | (0.20) | 26.6 | (0.21) | ||||||||||
| 9th grade | 5.6 | (0.02) | 5.9 | (0.05) | 6.3 | (0.06) | 6.2 | (0.05) | 6.4 | (0.07) | 6.5 | (0.09) | 6.5 | (0.04) | 7.8 | (0.08) | 5.5 | (0.05) | 6.4 | (0.06) | ||||||||||
| 10th grade | 5.2 | (0.01) | 5.7 | (0.08) | 6.2 | (0.06) | 6.1 | (0.06) | 6.4 | (0.07) | 6.4 | (0.09) | 6.5 | (0.04) | 7.8 | (0.07) | 5.4 | (0.06) | 6.5 | (0.05) | ||||||||||
| 11th grade | 4.9 | (0.02) | 5.4 | (0.06) | 6.0 | (0.05) | 6.0 | (0.06) | 6.2 | (0.07) | 6.4 | (0.09) | 6.4 | (0.04) | 7.7 | (0.09) | 5.2 | (0.05) | 6.7 | (0.05) | ||||||||||
| 12th grade | 4.7 | (0.02) | 5.2 | (0.07) | 6.0 | (0.06) | 5.9 | (0.06) | 6.1 | (0.07) | 6.3 | (0.09) | 6.3 | (0.04) | 7.6 | (0.09) | 5.0 | (0.05) | 6.7 | (0.06) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 0.1 | (0.02) | 0.1 | (#) | 0.1 | (#) | 0.1 | (#) | 0.1 | (#) | 0.1 | (#) | 0.1 | (#) | # | (†) | # | (†) | 0.2 | (#) | ||||||||||
| Private enrollment as a percent of total enrollment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total, all grades |
11.4 | (0.05) | 11.0 | (0.07) | 9.7 | (0.04) | 9.8 | (0.08) | 10.3 | (0.14) | 10.2 | (0.12) | 9.8 | (0.06) | 3.4 | (0.03) | 3.9 | (0.05) | 2.5 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten through grade 8 |
12.6 | (0.05) | 12.2 | (0.07) | 10.3 | (0.04) | 10.4 | (0.10) | 10.9 | (0.16) | 10.8 | (0.16) | 10.3 | (0.07) | 3.4 | (0.03) | 4.3 | (0.06) | 2.6 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| Prekindergarten | 55.4 | (0.20) | 52.3 | (0.42) | 40.4 | (0.08) | 41.5 | (0.30) | 41.6 | (0.51) | 39.6 | (0.52) | 38.0 | (0.39) | 7.8 | (0.15) | 16.0 | (0.45) | 14.2 | (0.28) | ||||||||||
| Kindergarten | 14.9 | (0.09) | 13.2 | (0.10) | 10.7 | (0.06) | 10.8 | (0.11) | 11.2 | (0.18) | 11.0 | (0.17) | 10.5 | (0.06) | 3.2 | (0.04) | 4.4 | (0.05) | 2.9 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 1st grade | 11.4 | (0.04) | 10.2 | (0.06) | 8.5 | (0.08) | 8.4 | (0.11) | 9.0 | (0.15) | 9.0 | (0.14) | 8.5 | (0.05) | 3.0 | (0.03) | 3.8 | (0.05) | 1.7 | (0.01) | ||||||||||
| 2nd grade | 10.9 | (0.05) | 10.1 | (0.06) | 8.4 | (0.05) | 8.3 | (0.11) | 8.8 | (0.14) | 8.7 | (0.13) | 8.3 | (0.05) | 3.0 | (0.02) | 3.7 | (0.05) | 1.6 | (0.01) | ||||||||||
| 3rd grade | 10.6 | (0.04) | 10.0 | (0.06) | 8.3 | (0.05) | 8.3 | (0.09) | 8.6 | (0.14) | 8.6 | (0.14) | 8.3 | (0.05) | 3.1 | (0.03) | 3.6 | (0.05) | 1.6 | (0.01) | ||||||||||
| 4th grade | 10.3 | (0.04) | 9.9 | (0.05) | 8.2 | (0.04) | 8.4 | (0.10) | 8.6 | (0.14) | 8.4 | (0.13) | 8.2 | (0.05) | 3.0 | (0.03) | 3.6 | (0.05) | 1.6 | (0.01) | ||||||||||
| 5th grade | 10.2 | (0.05) | 9.7 | (0.05) | 8.2 | (0.04) | 8.4 | (0.10) | 8.7 | (0.13) | 8.5 | (0.13) | 8.2 | (0.05) | 3.1 | (0.03) | 3.5 | (0.05) | 1.7 | (0.01) | ||||||||||
| 6th grade | 10.2 | (0.05) | 9.7 | (0.05) | 8.4 | (0.04) | 8.6 | (0.11) | 9.1 | (0.16) | 8.9 | (0.15) | 8.5 | (0.06) | 3.1 | (0.04) | 3.5 | (0.05) | 1.8 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| 7th grade | 9.8 | (0.05) | 9.4 | (0.09) | 8.4 | (0.04) | 8.4 | (0.10) | 9.0 | (0.15) | 9.0 | (0.15) | 8.4 | (0.07) | 3.1 | (0.04) | 3.4 | (0.05) | 1.9 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| 8th grade | 9.5 | (0.05) | 9.3 | (0.09) | 8.4 | (0.04) | 8.4 | (0.08) | 8.9 | (0.16) | 9.0 | (0.14) | 8.6 | (0.07) | 3.2 | (0.04) | 3.4 | (0.05) | 2.0 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 16.8 | (0.21) | 22.8 | (0.46) | 40.3 | (0.30) | 38.6 | (0.46) | 46.6 | (4.19) | 48.5 | (4.26) | 38.3 | (0.55) | 3.5 | (0.03) | 6.5 | (0.06) | 28.4 | (0.64) | ||||||||||
| Grades 9 through 12 | 8.4 | (0.05) | 8.3 | (0.10) | 8.1 | (0.09) | 8.2 | (0.09) | 8.8 | (0.13) | 8.8 | (0.10) | 8.5 | (0.08) | 3.6 | (0.05) | 2.7 | (0.04) | 2.3 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| 9th grade | 7.9 | (0.05) | 7.7 | (0.09) | 7.7 | (0.08) | 7.8 | (0.08) | 8.4 | (0.13) | 8.6 | (0.10) | 8.1 | (0.07) | 3.4 | (0.05) | 2.7 | (0.04) | 2.1 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| 10th grade | 8.4 | (0.05) | 8.3 | (0.13) | 8.0 | (0.09) | 8.1 | (0.09) | 8.7 | (0.13) | 8.7 | (0.09) | 8.5 | (0.07) | 3.5 | (0.04) | 2.8 | (0.05) | 2.2 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| 11th grade | 8.8 | (0.06) | 8.6 | (0.11) | 8.3 | (0.09) | 8.5 | (0.09) | 9.0 | (0.14) | 9.1 | (0.10) | 8.8 | (0.08) | 3.7 | (0.06) | 2.8 | (0.04) | 2.4 | (0.02) | ||||||||||
| 12th grade | 9.1 | (0.06) | 9.0 | (0.13) | 8.4 | (0.09) | 8.5 | (0.09) | 9.0 | (0.13) | 9.0 | (0.10) | 8.8 | (0.08) | 3.7 | (0.06) | 2.7 | (0.04) | 2.4 | (0.03) | ||||||||||
| Ungraded | 3.6 | (1.03) | 3.2 | (†) | 9.5 | (0.19) | 6.8 | (0.03) | 11.7 | (†) | 8.7 | (†) | 8.8 | (0.12) | 0.9 | (#) | 1.7 | (#) | 6.1 | (0.13) | ||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #Rounds to zero. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade. Ungraded students are prorated into kindergarten through grade 8 and grades 9 through 12. Some counts in this table are based on a census of schools in a given category rather than a sample; for these counts, standard errors are not applicable. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 1999-2000 through 2019-20; and Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," 1999-2000 through 2019-20. (This table was prepared October 2021.) |
