The public school system in the Triangle is based on the county of residency. Each county within the Triangle has its own public school system, with Orange County having two public school systems, Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools. The largest county school system is Wake County followed by Durham and Johnston County.

The public school systems operate on a traditional school calendar and also have year-round school options. In addition to traditional public schools, residents have the option to select Magnet and Charter Schools. Magnet Schools enhance traditional education with innovative approaches to learning and generally focus on specialized areas of study. For example, International Baccalaureate programs, science and technology, and languages. Charter Schools are publiclly funded, but regulated by a private board of directors.