How many weeks of formal schooling did Thomas Edison receive?

Thomas Edison received about 12 weeks of formal schooling.

Edison attended school briefly in Port Huron, Michigan, but his teacher considered him difficult to teach because he asked many questions and was highly active. His mother, Nancy Edison, withdrew him from school and educated him at home. She had previously worked as a teacher and encouraged his reading and experiments.

The often-repeated figure of 12 weeks describes his total formal classroom education, not the amount of education he received overall. At home, Edison studied subjects such as science, mathematics, literature, and history, and he pursued practical experiments independently.

This early experience helped shape his later reputation as a self-educated inventor, although “self-educated” does not mean he learned without guidance. His mother played a major role, and Edison also learned through books, laboratory work, employment, and collaboration with skilled assistants.