K-12 names the long stretch of school in the United States that runs from kindergarten through grade 12 — about ages 5 to 17. K is kindergarten; 12 is the last year of high school.

K-12 names the long stretch of school in the United States指的是美國這一長段學校教育，that runs from kindergarten through grade 12從幼兒園一路唸到十二年級——about ages 5 to 17大概是5歲到17歲。K is kindergartenK是幼兒園（kindergarten）；12 is the last year of high school12是高中最後一年。

In American talk, K-12 education means that whole block, as opposed to college. Public K-12 is paid for by the government, so families do not pay school fees to send a child to a public school.

In American talk在美式說法裡，K-12 education means that whole block指的就是那整段，as opposed to college跟大學（college）是分開的。Public K-12 is paid for by the government公立的K-12是由政府出錢，so families do not pay school fees所以家長不用付學費to send a child to a public school送小孩去公立學校。

Though actually, that tidy picture is tidier than life: some children go to private school, or learn at home, and those paths are not free from the state in the same way.

Though actually不過其實，that tidy picture is tidier than life這個整齊的說法比現實整齊：some children go to private school, or learn at home有些孩子唸私立學校，或是在家自學，and those paths are not free from the state in the same way這些方式不像公立那樣是政府免費出錢的。

You will see K-12 in news and government talk, not in the playground. Taiwan’s 十二年國教 covers a similar number of years, but it is not the same system under an English nickname — K-12 is how the US (and sometimes Canada) points at that span.

You will see K-12 in news and government talk你會在新聞和政府用語裡看到K-12，not in the playground不會在操場上聽到。Taiwan's 十二年國教 covers a similar number of years台灣的十二年國教涵蓋的年數差不多，but it is not the same system under an English nickname但它不是同一套系統換了個英文名字——K-12 is how the US (and sometimes Canada) points at that span是美國（有時候加拿大）用來指那段時間的說法。