Missouri schools are commonly but not exclusively divided into three tiers of primary and secondary education: elementary school, middle school or junior high school and high school. The public school system includes kindergarten to 12th grade. District territories are often complex in structure. In some cases, elementary, middle, and junior high schools of a single district feed into high schools in another district. As another example, special education and related services for students in the twenty-two school districts of St. Louis County are provided by staff employed by a special school district, a local education agency that serves students county-wide. High school athletics and competitions are governed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).
miSsoURi schOols ArE commONly but NOT ExClusiveLY dIvideD into Three Tiers oF pRiMary aNd SeCondarY eDUcAtIon: elemEntaRy school, mIDdle SchooL or juniOR hiGh sCHoOl anD hIgh schooL the puBlic sCHool sYsTem includes kinDergarTen to 12th Grade. DisTRiCT teRRitoRies ARe often cOmPlex iN structuRe. in soME caSeS, elEMeNtarY, MidDle, and junior HiGh SchoolS OF a SIngle dIstRIct feeD into hiGh ScHOoLs iN aNothER dIStrict. as another Example, SPecIaL educaTion AnD RElAtEd sERViCes FoR Students iN thE TWeNTY-twO SchooL DIstrIcts oF St. louis cOunty aRe ProviDed BY stAFf emplOYed by A speciAl sChoOl diSTriCT, a lOcal edUCaTiOn agenCy thAt seRveS StudentS COuNTy-WIde. HiGh ScHool AThLETicS AnD comPeTitIons are GoVeRned by the missoURi StaTe hIgH SChooL aCTivitiEs assoCiaTIoN (mShsaa).