The United States of America is a union of fifty states and is the third largest country in the world

Education System of New Zealand
New Zealand's education system has 3 levels:

• 
  early childhood education — from birth to school entry age
  
• 
  primary and secondary education — from 5 to 19 years of age 
  
• 
  further education— higher and vocational education.
  

Their education system reflects our unique and diverse society. They welcome different abilities, religious beliefs, ethnic groups, income levels and ideas about teaching and learning. They have processes in place to give their students consistent, high-quality education at all levels.

Early childhood education

Early Childhood Education (ECE) isn't compulsory but around 96.8% of children attend ECE. There are different types of ECE services and all learning that children experience at an ECE service or Kōhanga Reo is guided by the Te Whāriki curriculum framework. The government subsidises all children who attend ECE for up to 6 hours a day (a total of 30 hours per week).
Primary and secondary schools are the second level of education.
Your child's education is free between the ages of 5 and 19 at state schools (schools that are government owned and funded) if they're a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident. Schooling is compulsory from age 6-16. In the majority of schools, your child can start school on the day they turn 5 years old (they don't have to wait until the start of a new school year). However some schools have a policy of starting children at school together as a group at the start of each term (cohort entry). Most children stay at school until they're around 17 years old.
The education system for schools is made up of 13 Year levels. Your child's primary education starts at Year 1 and goes to Year 8 (around 5-12 years of age). Your child's secondary education goes from Year 9 to Year 13 (around 13-17 years of age).
Most schools in New Zealand are owned and funded by the state (state schools). They teach the national curriculum and are secular (non-religious).
Schools that teach in the English language use the New Zealand Curriculum. Schools that teach in the Māori language use Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (a curriculum based on Māori philosophies).