Almost everybody knows about the current education system that regulates the public schools. This system is already popularly known as the K-12 education. There are thirteen grades that make up the K-12 system starting from kindergarten up to twelfth grade, thus the name K (kindergarten) to 12 (12th grade). This kind of education system is not just applied in United States. Even those who are living in United Kingdom, Canada, and other parts of Europe use the K-12 at the same time.
A parent can choose whether they want their children to get the K-12 from a private or a public institution. There are some parents who enroll their parents as early as 4 or five years old, which is still their option. But by the time the child becomes six years old, parents will be required by their local state to enroll the child in a school offering the K-12 education whether they like it or not. However, the compulsory school age in some states is seven or eight years old. This compulsory schooling started thanks to the law that was created in 1918.
Unfortunately, this requirement only covers the children studying in elementary. That is why there are some parents, especially those who are financially incapable, who prefer not to let their child continue to higher levels including high school. There are also some students who think that since they already learned the basics of reading and writing.
The K-12 system before is not what it is right now. It already went through a lot of changes since it the US Department of Education was established in 1979. The said department has been doing this in order to meet the changing demands in the education. But regardless of the changes, one thing remains the same. The K-12 education still needs financial help especially the schools that are located in urban districts.