Table 1. Percentage distribution of schools, by type of school program, school type and selected school characteristics: 2017

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Percentage distribution of schools, by type of school program, school type and selected school characteristics: 2017–18

School type and selected school characteristic	Regular school	Special program emphasis¹		Special education²		Career/technical/ vocational³		Alternative/ other⁴		Montessori school		Early childhood program or day care center⁵
All schools	85.7	3.7		2.7		1.1		4.8		†		†

All public schools	87.5	3.7		1.4		1.4		6.0		†		†

School classification
Traditional public	88.8	3.2		1.4		1.5		5.1		†		†
Charter school	73.3	8.7		1.0	!	0.4	!	16.5		†		†

Community type
City	80.1	7.9		2.2		1.5		8.3		†		†
Suburban	89.2	3.3		1.4		0.9		5.2		†		†
Town	88.5	0.7	!	1.1	!	2.2		7.6		†		†
Rural	92.8	1.2		0.7		1.6		3.8		†		†

School level
Primary	95.2	3.6		0.5		‡		0.7		†		†
Middle	95.0	4.0		‡		#		0.8	!	†		†
High	71.5	3.5		0.6	!	6.9		17.6		†		†
Combined	64.9	3.7		10.3		‡		20.9		†		†

Student enrollment
Less than 100	40.1	2.6	!	10.9		‡		46.1		†		†
100–199	71.3	3.1	!	5.8		1.6	!	18.2		†		†
200–499	91.6	3.7		0.3		1.7		2.7		†		†
500–749	94.3	3.6		0.2	!	1.1		0.9		†		†
750–999	92.8	4.7		‡		1.4		0.8	!	†		†
1,000 or more	93.4	3.7		#		1.5		1.3		†		†

Percent of K–12 students who were approved for free or reduced‑price lunches
0–34	86.6	3.1		0.7		3.0		6.6		†		†
35–49	91.9	2.9		1.3	!	1.0		2.8		†		†
50–74	90.1	3.3		1.3		0.9		4.5		†		†
75 or more	84.6	4.7		1.9		0.7		8.0		†		†

All private schools	79.2	3.9		7.1		‡		0.6		5.8		3.5

School Classification
Catholic	97.0	1.6	!	0.9	!	#		‡		‡		‡
Other religious	90.9	2.7		1.1	!	‡		#		1.7	!	3.6	!
Nonsectarian	41.3	8.2		23.7		‡		2.0		18.3		6.5

Community type
City	75.4	6.0		7.7		‡		1.0	!	7.0		2.8
Suburban	76.8	2.8		9.2		#		0.5	!	7.2		3.5
Town	85.4	3.0	!	5.5	!	#		‡		4.4	!	‡
Rural	86.0	2.7	!	3.7		#		‡		2.3	!	5.1	!

School level
Elementary	82.0	3.6		2.6		#		‡		9.0		2.6
Secondary	79.9	4.1		5.9		‡		2.1	!	‡		7.1
Combined	73.9	4.2		15.4		#		0.8	!	1.9	!	3.7	!

Student enrollment
Less than 100	68.5	3.1		11.3		‡		1.0	!	9.4		6.7
100–199	85.5	5.1		5.2		#		‡		3.9		‡
200–499	91.1	4.6		1.9		#		‡		1.4	!	0.7	!
500–749	97.3	2.7	!	#		#		#		#		#
750 or more	95.7	4.3	!	#		#		#		#		#
† Not applicable.
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).
‡ Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).
1 Special program emphasis includes schools such as a science or math schools, performing arts schools, talented or gifted schools, foreign language immersion schools, etc.
² Special education school primarily serves students with disabilities.
³ Career/technical/vocational school primarily serves students being trained for occupations.
⁴ Alternative/other school offers a curriculum designed to provide alternative or nontraditional education; does not specifically fall into the categories of regular, special program emphasis, special education, or vocational school.
⁵ Early childhood program or day care center includes such as kindergarten only, prekindergarten and kindergarten and transitional first grade only, day care and transitional kindergarten only, etc.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School and Private School Documentation Data Files,” 2017–18.

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