What does “K–12” mean in the North American education system?

K–12 means kindergarten through 12th grade in the North American education system.

The expression describes the complete span of publicly supported primary and secondary education, from the first year of kindergarten to the final year of high school. In the United States, kindergarten usually serves children aged five or six, while 12th-grade students are typically 17 or 18.

The term is especially common in the United States and Canada, although similar grade ranges exist under different names in many countries. It is a shorthand for elementary, middle, and high school education rather than a single school or campus.

K–12 is sometimes confused with P–12. P–12 includes preschool or pre-kindergarten before kindergarten. After K–12, terms such as K–14 and K–16 may include two or four years of post-secondary education. The phrase refers to an education range, not necessarily to compulsory schooling, because attendance laws vary by jurisdiction.