While providing guidelines, the government divides administration of public education over seven regional school districts and one province wide school district serving the province's Acadians.
Post-secondary schools consist of the provincial government operated community college system, Nova Scotia Community College and independently managed universities which receive some public funding.
A number of Nova Scotian schools combine elementary or the later grades of elementary with junior high or the earlier grades of junior high to form what is referred to as a consolidated school.
(Note: The term 'consolidated' is also confusingly used in the naming of a few elementary schools too in the province).
The following are all the public schools in Nova Scotia listed according to the board by which they are managed, and by county.