The American education system is unlike that in many other countries
The American education system is unlike that in many
other countries. Education is primarily the responsibility of state and local
government, and so there is little standardization in the curriculum, for
example. The individual states have great control over what is taught in their
schools and over the requirements that a student must meet, and they are also
responsible for the funding of schooling. Therefore, there is huge variation
regarding courses, subjects, and other activities – it always depends on where
the school is located. Still, there are some common points, as e.g. the
division of the education system into three levels: elementary/primary
education, secondary education, and postsecondary/higher education (college or
university).
Map
of the U.S. Education System
Formal schooling lasts 12 years, until around age 18.
Compulsory schooling, though, ends by age 16 in most states; the remaining
states require students to attend school until they are 17 or 18. All children
in the United States have access to free public schools. Private schools
(religious and non-sectarian) are available, but students must pay tuition to
attend them.
In the following description of the U.S. education
structure, we will focus only on the first two levels: primary and secondary
schools.
U.S. educators frequently use the terms K-12
education, and sometimes PK-12 education, to refer to all primary and secondary
education from pre-school prior to the first year or grade through secondary
graduation. One of the following three patterns usually prevails in the
community:
- Elementary
school (K-5), middle school (6-8), high school (9-12);
- Elementary
school (K-6), junior high school (7-9), senior high school (9-12); or
- Elementary
school (K-8), high school (9-12).
Ø The
majority of U.S. children begin their educations prior to entering regular
school. Parents who send their children to pre-schools/nursery schools (age
2-4) and kindergartens (age 5-6) have to finance these institutions privately.
Children learn the alphabet, colors, and other elementary basics.
Ø U.S.
children enter formal schooling around age 6. The first pattern (see above) is
the most common one. Elementary students are typically in one classroom with
the same teacher most of the day.
Ø After
elementary school, students proceed to middle school, where they usually move
from class to class each period, with a new teacher and a new mixture of
students in every class. Students can select from a wide range
of academic classes and elective classes.
Ø In
high school, students in their first year are called freshman, in
their second year sophomore, in their third year junior,
and in their last and fourth year senior.
There
is an even greater variety of subjects than before. Students must earn a
certain number of credits (which they get for a successfully
completed course) in order to graduate and be awarded with a High School
Diploma – there is no final examination like in many other countries.
The
number and combination of classes necessary depend on the school district and
on the kind of diploma desired. The following two links are examples of
different high school graduation requirements (North Carolina, South Carolina):
Only
with a high school diploma students can enroll in postsecondary education. It is important to
know that colleges and universities sometimes require certain high school
credits or tests (e.g. SAT) for admission, and students must plan their high
school career with those requirements in mind.
American School System
Public School refers to schools run
by a governmental authority. In some states, such as Hawai'i, the state
government runs all public schools; in others, local school districts
(independent of any other governmental body such as a city or county) run the
public schools. States differ also in how public schools are financed. In
general, they are financed from taxpayer dollars. Tuition to public schools is
usually free; though parents are often expected to pay for some expenses as
well as for optional programs like sports or music. Public schools may not deny
admission to students based on academic criteria; they may expel and bar
students for extreme disruptive conduct.
Public schools are generally prohibited from offering any
religious instruction, a major source of controversy within the United States.
In many locales dominated by one religious faction or another, there are
frequent calls to "let God back in the schools". Neutral education on
the subject of religion is permitted, as is the study of the Bible from a
literary perspective; the prohibition is against favoring a specific religious
view. Such courses are still uncommon, however.
Private School refers to schools run
by private entities, unaffiliated with the government. (In the UK, these are
called public schools, confusingly enough). Private schools may set
admission criteria (many reject below-average students), almost always charge
tuition, and may offer religious instruction. Many private schools are run by
churches or religious orders, these are known as parochial schools.
Home schooling refers to the
practice of educating children in the home (in many cases, parents who
home-school cooperate in doing so). This is legal in the UnitedStates,
though home-schooled students (and those in private schools) in some states are
expected to pass state-administered placement tests. Home schooling is often
motivated by objections to the public school curriculum, usually on religious
grounds. Another motivation is the perception that the standard school
environment in general is psychologically harmful or otherwise not conducive to
quality education.
Grade Levels (excluding college/university)
The first mandatory year of schooling for children in the U.S.
(like many things, this varies from region to region; education is for the most
part considered a local matter under U.S. law) is first grade. It typically
begins in the fall after the child's sixth birthday, though in some areas
five-year-olds who are near their sixth birthday are allowed to enter first
grade. Grades 2 through 12 follow for the next eleven years; education is not
compulsory past 16 in most states, though some states are debating raising the
drop-out age to 18. [This originally said "grade 8"--do some
states base it on grade instead of age"?]
In addition, there are several years of "schooling"
prior to first grade. Kindergarten (German for "children's garden")
is a class for 5-year-olds. It is generally optional (though recommended); in
some districts it is only half-day. Most public school districts make
kindergarten available for children within their district.
Before kindergarten one finds preschool--typically offered for 3-
and 4-year olds. In many places, 3-year olds attend preschool two days a week,
4-year olds for 3 days a week. Preschool focuses more on physical, social, and
emotional development of young children, and far less on "education".
Preschoolers are often introduced to reading, writing, and the alphabet--but at
a very early level. Preschoolers generally are not expected to
have mastered these. Unlike kindergarten, preschool is generally not offered
by public school districts; instead it is provided by churches, daycares, or
cooperatives.
In most districts, the grade levels K-12 are physically segregated
into three different types of school: primary school (or elementary school),
middle school (or junior high), and high school. Depending on the district,
primary school is usually K-5 or K-6, middle school is 6-8, 7-8, or 7-9; and
high school (sometimes "senior high school") is 9-12 or 10-12. Other
districts may do different things. Some use the term "middle school"
to refer to a 6-8 school and "junior high" to refer to a 7-9 school,
but this distinction is far from universal.
In some districts, different grade levels may be consolidated into
a single class--usually no more than 2. (Though in very small rural districts,
one may still find the one-room schoolhouse, where five-year-olds and pre-teens
are all educated in the same room by the same teacher).
The following terms are used to describe students in grades 9-12;
confusingly, they are also used for college undergraduates.
- Freshman:
Grade 9, or first year of college (American usage of the word
"college")
- Sophomore:
Grade 10, second year of college
- Junior:
Grade 11, third year of college
- Senior:
Grade 12, fourth year of college.
Hours and Times of Attendance
In most parts of the UnitedStates,
school attendance is for 5 days of the week (Monday through Friday), nine
months (180 instruction days) of the year. (Again, exceptions abound). A full
school day is usually 7-8 hours, including a break for lunch, excluding
extracurricular activities such as sports. The school year generally starts
anywhere from mid-August (e.g. Kansas City, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North
Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia) to late September, and generally
ends anywhere from mid-May to late June (though snow days in northern districts
can sometimes push this into July). Two major breaks during the School year are
winter vacation (often called Christmas vacation, though many frown on public
schools even mentioning Christmas due to church and state
separation), typically 2-1/2 weeks in December, and Spring Break--a week off in
late March (sometimes early April).
Generally, younger children (grades 3 and lower) don't attend a
full day--they get to go home a bit earlier. In some places, kindergarten is
1/2 day.
Schoolchildren above a certain age are assigned homework--when
homework starts varies from district to district.
Sports
One major difference between schools in the US and elsewhere is
extracurricular sports. "Physical education" (exercise and other
forms of physical activity) is mandatory and found at all grade levels--and
probably are similar to what is found in other countries. What is unique in the
US is that starting in about sixth grade or so, schools form teams to compete
amongst each other in various sports competitions--(American) football,
basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, long distance running
("cross country"), volleyball, wrestling, hockey in some places,
golf, and even skiing. Participation is usually voluntary, and often
competitive. Both boys and girls participate; public schools are required to
provide equal opportunity in sports to both sexes. (Boys and girls don't
usually compete against each other, though there have been cases of girls with
exceptional athletic ability competing on boys' teams.)
For many sports--especially American football and basketball--the
competition is particularly cutthroat.
What's more, many school districts have an "athletics
first" culture among the student body, if not among the administration and
community at large. The student social hierarchy--especially for boys--at most
American high schools is dominated by those who succeed the most at (school vs.
school) sports; the dream of many boys is to be "captain of the football
team". Athletic success is frequently prized far more
than academic success.
This is further replicated at college. Most major colleges and
universities field teams, and the competition there is even fiercer and more
cutthroat. College athletics (again, basketball and football in particular) is
a multi-million dollar business in the United States, with star players going
on to professional sports careers.
While this is arguably beneficial to athletics in the
US--affiliation with schools gives many teams an instant fan base--its effect
on academics is questionable. Some claim that sports are beneficial to the
development of young people--just as much as reading and writing. Certainly
some physical activity is. However, it is sometimes claimed that the emphasis
on sports in American schools cultivates a highly anti-intellectual
culture--one where the top-performing students (especially those who aren't
athletes) are regarded as "nerds" and outcasts, not as persons to be
admired.
(It is my understanding that in Europe, competitive sports are
handled through sports "clubs" unaffiliated with schools; and that
the schools provide "P.E." classes but no intramural
competition). Most British state high schools/comprehensives (ages
11-16) provide PE (physical education) lessons as part of the national
curriculum up until about 14 years of age. After this students may have the
option to continue and take a GCSE in PE at 16. Many schools run
extracurricular sports teams (notably football [i.e. soccer], rugby, cricket,
netball and hockey) which often compete against other schools in the local
area, although national competitions are more rare. Many students are also
members of "clubs" unaffiliated with schools.
Colleges and Universities
The words college and university are
nearly interchangeable in the United States. Either can refer to a 4 year
school.
This general usage is somewhat inaccurate. Properly speaking, a
university is composed of a number of colleges, e.g. Trinity College of Oxford
University. Oxford University is made up of 39 colleges. Colleges tend to be
focused on a general discipline such as medicine, or art. (Many US universities
are structured on this model; though not necessarily all of them.)
All universities are colleges but not all colleges are
universities. A student at Foo University would likely feel equally comfortable
stating in casual conversation that they're attending "college" or "university."
However, a student wearing a Bar College sweatshirt would probably be looked at
oddly if they were to say, "I'm in my first year of university."
It would be very rare to hear an American say "I'm in my
first year of university" unless he or she were talking to someone more
familiar with British English. "... first year of college" sounds
normal, no matter which type of institution is being attended. "He's in
college" sounds normal to Americans. "He's in (or at)
university" does not. Compare "in the hospital" (American) and
"in hospital" (British). Saying "I'm in my first year at the
university" would imply that the person spoken to knows which university. Also,
if an adult American says "when I was at (or in) school," this
usually refers to college, unless the conversational context would suggest
primary (1st through 6th grades) or secondary (7th through 12th) school.
In past years, the difference in the US was that
"universities" had Ph.D programs, whereas "colleges" did
not. This distinction is rapidly eroding; as many 4-year institutions that were
previously called colleges are renaming themselves universities; often to
attract foreign students and faculty who consider a "college" to be a
second-rate educational institution.
In the US, and depending on which college, going to a college
rather than a university can lend considerable cachet. Dartmouth, Smith,
Williams, Bowdoin (etc.) colleges are considered elite (private) institutions.
They imply an almost clubby environment where students receive more
individualized attention, and they presumably provide a more intimate set of
connections after graduation.
"State schools" are public universities usually established
by a particular state: The University of Minnesota. These are distinguished
from private colleges and universities such as Harvard or Yale.
In the UK, school always means pre-collegiate educational
institutions or a post graduate educational institution (Business School, Law
School, Medical School). College (except in relation to collegiate
universities) means pre-University educational institution where A-level
qualifications are studied. University means an educational institution that
awards undergraduate and graduate degrees. As described above, mixing these
terms is acceptable in the US (and Australia [I beg to differ--Aussies
prefer 'Uni' and school just like the Brits -SusanRoy]),
but not in the UK or Ireland. Asking a 20 year brit old what school they attend
will be an insult to their intelligence as it implies they are still in high
school. Asking a 40 year old brit what school they attended will also be an
insult as it seems to imply that they never attended University and their
highest qualification is a high school diploma.--I stress this as I have run
into it often. -- A Yank in Britain
Two year institutions
The UnitedStates also has two-year institutions.
These are usually called "junior colleges" or "community
colleges". These institutions generally do not offer more
advanced degrees; are inexpensive; and don't provide on-campus housing. They
also will admit anybody. They serve the following functions:
- Provide
training and certification in numerous trades where a traditional
four-year degree is not usually awarded nor required. (In some cases, such
as nursing, the program is quite rigorous).
- Provide
2-year degrees (called "associates" degrees in the US,
"diplomas" in Canada) in fields where a 4-year degree is often
awarded
- Provide
transfer credits/preparation for four year institutions. Many students who
desire to go to a 4-year college, but have difficulty getting admitted (to
the 4-year institution) as a freshman, instead complete the first two
years of coursework at a community college. Having thus proven their
mettle at college-level coursework (though community colleges have a
reputation for being less rigorous than 4-year institutions), students
with adequate grades generally find it much easier to transfer into a
4-year college/university to complete their bachelor's degree. Most
credits earned at accredited community colleges are accepted by most
4-year institutions (in particular, state schools)--though the top-tier
universities (Harvard, Yale, etc.) generally won't accept transfer credit
from "lesser" institutions (including other 4-year
colleges/universities)
