In some U.S. states, a union school district or union high school district is a school district that has been established by the consolidation of "two or more school districts situated in the same county". A Joint union school district is similar, but the component districts are "situated wholly or in part in different counties". A union school district is distinctive from a unified school district in a union school district generally does not include or operate primary or grade schools and high schools, whereas a unified district generally includes and operates both types of schools. (Vermont has a different distinction, as explained below.)