There are currently 282,020 children and young people learning at 744 public schools, many of which have been newly built or completely renovated. The state employs 21,910 teachers for this purpose.

The school system is divided into 404 elementary school (excluding elementary school at secondary schools and comprehensive schools), 116 secondary schools, 31 comprehensive schools, 79 grammar schools and 73 special schools. For vocational education, there are 25 upper secondary schools (OSZ) with the school-based part of dual vocational training, technical colleges for obtaining the entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences and technical colleges for social work, technology and business. After primary level at elementary school (grades 1 to 6), the further educational path leads to lower secondary level at upper secondary and comprehensive schools (grades 7 to 10) to upper secondary level at comprehensive schools (grades 11 to 13) and grammar schools (grades 11 to 12). The Abitur can be taken after 13 years at comprehensive schools and vocational grammar schools (OSZ) and after 12 years at grammar schools.

Berlin is closely intertwined with Brandenburg. We want a common educational area between Berlin and Brandenburg. That is why the curricula of the two states have been closely interlinked. As a result, there has been a joint framework curriculum for grades 1 to 10 since the 2017/18 school year.