What categories of schools are typically included in such lists?

When examining publicly available rankings or compilations that profile educational institutions, such as those generated by government bodies, third-party evaluators, or media outlets aimed at parents or policymakers, what standardized organizational frameworks are typically used to group schools? Beyond broad distinctions like public versus private, do official lists consistently categorize institutions based on performance metrics (e.g., standardized test scores, graduation rates), funding sources (e.g., state-funded, charter, independent), educational focus (e.g., STEM, arts, vocational, college-preparatory), grade span (e.g., K-5, 6-12, single-gender), accreditation status, or geographic jurisdiction (e.g., district, state region)? Are there established typologies, like those specifying magnet schools, international baccalaureate programs, or specialized learning institutions, that appear recurrently across these groupings? Essentially, what systematic criteria do authoritative education resources leverage to partition schools into discrete categories for comparative analysis?

The following categories of schools are typically included in comparison, ranking, classification, or resource lists:

1. Public Schools:

   • District-operated schools
   • Charter schools
   • Magnet schools
   • Vocational/Technical schools

2. Private Schools:

   • Independent non-profit schools
   • Independent for-profit schools
   • Religious-affiliated schools (e.g., parochial, madrasah, yeshiva)
   • International schools

3. Specialized or Alternative Schools:

   • Schools for students with special educational needs
   • Alternative education schools
   • Virtual/online schools
   • Boarding schools
   • Montessori schools
   • Waldorf schools
   • Other pedagogically distinct models (e.g., Sudbury, Steiner)

4. Based on Educational Level:

   • Preschools/Pre-kindergartens
   • Elementary/Primary schools
   • Middle/Junior high schools
   • High/Secondary schools
   • K-12 schools
   • Post-secondary institutions (colleges, universities, community colleges)

5. Based on Governance or Funding Source:

   • State-funded schools
   • Federally funded schools (e.g., DoDEA schools)
   • Local authority-funded schools
   • Privately funded schools
   • Grant-funded/charter schools

6. Based on Academic Focus or Curriculum:

   • College-preparatory schools
   • Arts-focused schools
   • STEM/STEAM-focused schools
   • Bilingual/immersion schools
   • Classical education schools
   • Religious-education focused schools

7. Based on Student Population or Admission Criteria:

   • Comprehensive high schools (open enrollment)
   • Selective enrollment schools
   • Single-gender schools
   • Schools with specific religious admissions requirements

8. Based on Geographic Scope:

   • Neighborhood schools
   • Community schools
   • Regional schools
   • National schools (for specific populations)
   • International schools
9. Institutional Types (Post-secondary):
   • Community colleges
   • Liberal arts colleges
   • Research universities
   • Public universities
   • Private universities
   • Community colleges
   • Technical and vocational colleges
   • For-profit colleges/universities