A school is an educational establishment designed specifically to offer learning places and learning environments for children under the supervision of qualified teachers. Generally, all states have systems of traditional formal schooling, which can be mandatory. In such systems, children progress through a sequence of schools known as grade schools. In order to pass each grade in school, children generally gain knowledge from grade school to college.

Specialized schools are also present which further specialize children’s educational needs. Some schools may only teach certain aspects of a subject while others may only teach certain aspects of a subject taught in other types of schools, thereby presenting a specialization of the curriculum. For instance, some schools specialize in teaching art while others teach science only. Specialization of the curriculum provides a controlled and directed study pattern that provides uniformity of teaching.

Special education schools are generally run by government bodies or non-profit organizations. The curriculum, discipline and teaching patterns are largely set by the school authorities. However, there are instances where local boards of education manage the schools, especially in remote areas. Private schools may not be formally recognized by state governments, depending on the curriculum they teach. The teaching methods of special education schools vary greatly. However, most of the time, they follow the same basic principles of educating young children.