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K–12 (pronounced just "kay twelve", "kay through twelve", or "kay to twelve") is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, and some parts of Australia.^[1]

The expression is a shortening of Kindergarten (4-6-year-old) through 12th grade or grade 12 (16-19 years old), the first and last grades of free education in the United States, Australia and English Canada. It is often used in school website URLs, generally appearing before the country code top-level domain (or in the United States, the state top-level domain).

By contrast, K–14 education also includes community colleges (first two years of university) and K–16 education adds a four-year undergraduate university degree.

[edit] See also

• Education in the United States
• Education in Canada
• Education in Australia
• Education in South Korea

[edit] References

v • d • e Schools By educational stage Early years Preschool • Kindergarten • Nursery school Primary education Primary school • Elementary school Secondary education High school • Secondary school • Middle school • Grammar school • Upper school • University-preparatory school • Public school (privately funded) • Gymnasium Tertiary education University • Vocational school • College • Community college • Upper division college Adult Continuing education • Adult education By funding / eligibility Free education • Private school • Public school • Independent school • Independent school (UK) • Charter school • Academy • Comprehensive school By style of education Day school • Alternative school • Parochial school • Free school • Boarding school • Magnet school • Virtual school • K-12 By scope Compulsory education • Democratic education • Vocational school • University-preparatory school