Table 3. Percentage distribution of private schools, by program emphasis and selected characteristics: United States, 2015

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Table 3. Percentage distribution of private schools, by program emphasis and selected characteristics: United States, 2015–16


Selected characteristic	Regular elementary/ secondary	Montessori		Special program emphasis		Special education		Vocational/ technical programs	Alternative		Early childhood
Total	68.0	10.0		2.9		5.4		‡	3.3		10.3

Private school typology
Catholic	95.3	0.8		1.4	!	1.0		‡	0.5		1.0
Parochial	97.3	‡		‡		‡		‡	‡		‡
Diocesan	96.3	0.6		0.7		1.3	!	‡	‡		0.8
Private	88.0	3.1		‡		2.4		‡	‡		3.0

Other religious	84.8	1.1		2.5	!	1.1		‡	2.7		7.8
Conservative Christian	92.3	‡		1.4		0.8		‡	2.8		2.3
Other affiliated	88.2	0.9		2.8		0.9		‡	1.6		5.6
Unaffiliated	80.0	1.5		‡		1.3		‡	3.1		11.1

Nonsectarian	27.1	28.4		4.5		14.2		‡	5.9		19.7
Regular	57.9	†		†		†		†	†		42.1
Special emhasis	†	72.9		11.7		†		‡	15.2		†
Special education	†	†		†		100.0		†	†		†

School level
Elementary	65.0	14.1		2.2		1.4		‡	4.6		21.7
Secondary	74.3	‡		3.4		8.6		‡	12.5		†
Combined	73.0	3.4		4.6	!	13.4		‡	5.5		‡

Size (number of students)
Less than 50	48.0	16.6		2.6	!	6.4		‡	4.6		21.7
50-149	76.5	7.1		3.5		8.1		‡	3.7		1.1
150-299	90.2	3.3	!	3.1		2.4		‡	0.8		‡
300-499	93.7	‡		3.7		0.9		‡	1.1		0.0
500-749	97.3	0.0		1.9		‡		‡	‡		0.0
750 or more	95.8	0.0		2.6		‡		‡	‡		0.0

Region
Northeast	64.1	7.1		2.0		9.8		‡	2.6		14.4
Midwest	80.7	6.3		1.5	!	2.3		‡	3.1		6.1
South	65.9	11.3		4.0	!	5.2		‡	3.7		9.9
West	58.9	16.2		4.3		4.7		‡	3.7		12.1

Urbanicity type
City	65.3	11.1		3.8		5.3		‡	4.0		10.5
Suburban	57.5	13.9		2.3		7.3		‡	2.5		16.4
Town	82.6	5.1		1.4		3.2	!	‡	3.7	!	4.0
Rural	84.2	3.5		‡		3.1		‡	3.6		2.2
† Not applicable.
! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation for this estimate is between 30 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. There are fewer than 15 sample cases, or CV for this estimate is 50 percent or greater.
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding or missing values in cells with too few sample cases. These estimates include private schools that provide instruction for one or more of grades kindergarten through twelve (or comparable ungraded levels).
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey (PSS), 2015–16.

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