Nursery school. Intended for children aged 3-4, where they are taught the basics of reading, counting, drawing, etc.
Preparatory, zero grade or kindergarten. Preparatory classes are located directly in school buildings and are part of the elementary school structure. Children aged 5-6 study here. The school day lasts 3-6 hours. This is the first stage of compulsory education.
Elementary school. Children aged 6 to 11 study here. The education process typically takes 4-5 years. A child who completes this school has 'primary education' or 'elementary education'. In elementary school, only one teacher teaches in a class (with exceptions), and the class composition is usually shuffled every year.
Middle school (middle school, junior high school, or intermediate school). Children aged 11 to 14 study here. Often graduates of several elementary schools are combined into one middle school, although in some states elementary and middle schools are combined into primary schools. The education process takes 3-4 years. At this level, students begin actively studying with subject teachers. Additionally, the program includes a mandatory sports training course. In some schools at this level (as in high school), special classes for gifted children are created.
High school. Children aged 14 to 18 study here. The education process lasts four years. A teenager who completes this school has secondary education. At this stage, students in many schools have the opportunity to specialize, i.e., choose subjects for which they will attend lectures (however, unlike universities, the selection is fairly limited).
Further stages of education already belong to 'higher education' or 'postsecondary degree'.
Professional education (associate's degree). Typically, the education process takes 2-3 years. Education at this level is provided by technical schools and two-year colleges (junior or community colleges). In some cases, the graduate receives a professional certificate allowing them to engage in a certain type of activity. Often, after completing a 'two-year college', a student transfers to the third year of a four-year college, with previously earned grades and courses being credited.
Higher education (bachelor's degree). The education process in a four-year college or university typically takes four years, and in some departments (e.g., medical) - five years. The graduate is awarded a bachelor's degree.
Graduate studies (master's degree). A master's degree can be called a rough equivalent of a candidate of sciences degree, although the candidate of sciences degree is higher. Studies last 1-2 years.
Doctoral studies (Ph.D.). A doctoral degree can be obtained in 1-3 years. In some specific fields, such as law, medicine, and theology, graduate and doctoral studies are effectively combined. A Ph.D. is higher than a candidate of sciences, but lower than a doctor of sciences (in the traditional understanding of the former Soviet Union).
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. spending on school education in the 2006-2007 school year amounted to $553 billion, which is 4.2% of the country's gross domestic product. This money was spent on 56 million schoolchildren. Funds for school education come from three main sources: the federal budget provides about 9% of funding, the state budget about 47%, and local budgets (county and municipal) about 44%.
According to the National Education Association, on a national scale, $9,100 was spent per school student in 2007. However, these are only average figures - expenditures on schoolchildren vary significantly by state. For example, in New Jersey, $13,781 is spent per student, while in Utah it is almost three times less - $5,347. This means that for a student who started school in 2004, approximately $111,000 will be spent during their time in school. In any case, according to the Association's calculations, in order to succeed academically, each student requires a quarter more funding.
Spending on school education in the United States is growing at record-breaking rates. Thus, from 1984 to 2004, adjusted for inflation, it increased by 49%. Interestingly, an analysis by the Heritage Foundation research center showed that increased education funding in the United States did not lead to improved student performance. If there are any positive changes, they are incomparable in scale to the rate of funding increase.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are approximately 125,000 schools in the United States, which are traditionally divided into public schools (about 95,600), funded from the budget, and private schools (29,200). The number of private schools has been steadily growing over the past ten years, but for obvious reasons, public schools are the most common, with the vast majority (about 88%) of American children attending them. In 2008, a surge in popularity of public schools was noted, with many students transferring from private institutions. The reason for this was economic difficulties in the country, which forced many parents to start saving on paying for their children's school education.
The United States is one of the few countries in the world where federal authorities have relatively little influence on school and university curricula and the learning process. Interestingly, the country's constitution does not mention education at all. Federal law even prohibits the U.S. government from influencing school curricula. Washington intervenes in this area only when local authorities fail to protect certain key national interests.
The activities of American schools are regulated by a set of laws and regulations issued by federal authorities, states, counties, and school districts into which counties are divided. In schools located just a few kilometers apart but under different jurisdictions, curricula differ radically - students study different subjects, receive different amounts of knowledge, and so on. It is generally believed that such a flexible and decentralized system allows teachers to be more flexible and better respond to children's needs. Problems that arise in one school district, thanks to this, do not cause an 'epidemic' of similar difficulties in others. On the other hand, local control does not allow for the rapid adaptation of successful innovations at the national level. Another drawback of the American system is considered to be that local authorities are often unable to assess long-term prospects and are incapable of strategic planning, for example, changing school curricula with an eye to the future.
In the US, there are several fundamental theories regarding what and how to teach in schools. One group of experts suggests stepping up the use of national tests to check the quality of education in individual schools. Their opponents argue that in this case, teachers will primarily try to 'coach' children for tests rather than instill fundamental knowledge. Another theory proposes focusing children not on memorizing dates and figures, but on teaching them to search for and analyze information. According to proponents of this concept, a person with a jumble of facts in their head is less adapted to life and work than one who knows how to approach solving diverse problems. Opponents argue that in this case, the child will not gain any fundamental knowledge and will, in fact, grow up ignorant. A third group of experts asserts that the root of the problem lies in insufficient funding of schools. Their opponents counter that the problem is not a lack of funds, but their inept use. A fourth group of experts argues that the problems of school education lie in its 'non-market' nature - municipal schools do not compete with each other for students and are not interested in improving the quality of education. Proponents of the opposite view point out that schools should not compete with each other; they should teach.
One unique problem of American schools is the issue of immigrants. According to the US Census Bureau, 22% of schoolchildren have at least one parent born outside the country, and 5% were themselves born outside the United States. Approximately 10 million schoolchildren do not speak English at home. This means that such children typically need additional English lessons and a special approach from teachers.
US schools have 14.2 million computers, with about one computer for every four students. Since 2003, all US schools have had access to the Internet.
A Gallup poll conducted in the summer of 2008 showed that only 44% of American parents are satisfied with the state of the school system in the US. At the same time, 77% of them are satisfied with the school education their children receive.
The academic year in American schools averages 180 days; in higher education it is usually three weeks shorter. Summer school holidays last 9-11 weeks. Additionally, students are usually let out for Christmas break (1.5-2 weeks), Thanksgiving (2-3 days at the end of November), Easter break (2-5 days), and so on.
Based on Washington ProFile materials.