EDUCATION IN THE USAGoing to School in America TodayAmerican education has the goal of achieving universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the society.About 90% of American students attend public schools and the other 10% attend private schools. Most private schools are run the churches, synagogues or other religious groups; these schools teach about their religion as well as the usual subjects such as mathematics, English, science, history and geography.The costs involved in providing education are veryhigh and therefore it is constantly under review by governments and by citizens. The spending of money is guided by boards of education at the state anddistrict level. The same is true for decisions about school curriculum, teacher standards and certification, and the measurement of student progress.Education - A Local MatterEducation is mainly in the hands of the states andlocal governments; it is not controlled by the federal government.Each child in America is guaranteed 13 years education, regardless of the child’s race, sex, religion, learning problems, physical handicap or inability to speak English. Each of the 50 states in the USA hasits own laws concerning education such as the school leaving-age of students.Americans like to educate their children about major public concerns, such as environmental pollution, nuclear issues, crimes and drugs. Boards of education can add courses to the curriculum, if they think that they are important for the students.What an American Student LearnsThere is no national curriculum in the USA but there are some subjects that maybe taught to all students from kindergarten to grade 12.Elementary school•Elementary school usually means all grades fromkindergarten through to grade 8.•Almost every elementary school teaches thefollowing subjects: mathematics, English,penmanship, science, social studies (a subjectthat includes history, geography, citizenship and economics) and the use of computers.Secondary school (high school)Secondary school generally means grades 9 to 12. The core subjects required to be taught in secondary schools are English, mathematics, science, social studies and physical education.In addition to the required subjects, the student can to choose elective courses. For instance, if theycomplete the required work in American History, they are then able to take additional history related units such as European History and World Political Issues.Students can be guided in their choice of electives by school counsellors, who can suggest electives ranging from very specialized academic subjects to those that are more vocational in nature. Some secondary schools specialize in particular types of subjects such as business education, foreign languages or industrial trades.At all levels of education, students are expected to work hard, complete assignments, complete homework and show respect to their teachers and professors.Higher EducationAbout 33% of high school student graduates go on to higher education.The system of higher education in the USA is complex. It comprises four categories of institutions:1.The university – which offers bachelor’s degrees,master’s degrees and doctoral degrees.2.The college - which only offers four-yearbachelor’s degrees, this sort of college is notpart of a university.3.the technical training institution – which offersa wide range of courses, some short and others upto four years, and where students can learn avariety of technical skills ranging fromhairdressing to business accounting.4.The two-year community college – where studentsstudy for 2 years for a qualification which thenallows them to go on and complete their degree(another two years) at a university.Some Bachelor level degrees have an emphasis on developing a well-rounded person and some Bachelor degrees are directly aimed at a particular career path.Many universities have gained a strong reputation for the high quality of their educational programs. Some of the most prestigious universities receive a very large number of applications, and to get a place at one of these prestigious universities is very difficult.Factors that determine the status of the university are:•Quality of the teaching•Quality of research done there (very important)•Amount of funding available for libraries•Number of applicants for admission•Quality of facilitiesThe most desirable universities are usually the most expensive but their graduates have a distinct advantage when it comes to finding employment.University for AllAfter World War 2 the government passed a law offering financial assistance to returned soldiers (veterans) who wished to go to higher education colleges. Many veterans took up the opportunity, because they thoughtthat it would improve their chances of getting a good job.This changed the image of who should go to college. Previously, only a small percentage of school-leavers were accepted by colleges and universities. After the veterans started attending college, many other groups also started to attend college. For instance, the enrolment of women and African-American students greatly increased after this.By this time, racial segregation had been deemed unconstitutional, and the opportunities for African-American students to enter higher education improved dramatically.About the photo: A Fort Myer, Virginia school September 8, 1954 taken shortly after a unanimous ruling that segregation in education was inherently unequal as a result of the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education.)Universities and colleges went on to develop ways to give school leavers greater access to their programs. For example, many universities changed their entrance requirements, so that they not only took students’high school performance and entrance scores intoconsideration, but also their the talents, voluntary activities and “life experiences”.What success did these programs have?•American students have become an increasinglydiverse group.•By 2000 there were 128 women for every 100 men in higher education.•Also by 2000, f or every 100 master’s degreesawarded to men, there were 138 awarded to women•Universities and colleges were enrolling an increasing number of non-traditional students, for instance, students who enroll after working for some time, or students who study part-time and work part-time. By 2000, 50% of college students were 25 years or older and 43% were part-time.。