Sistema educativo

Education in the United StatesU.S. Education systemThe United States educational system is mostly public, with control and funding from the three levels of Government: federal, State, and local. Early childhood education is mandatory

2Education of the United StatesIn the United States there is no national system of education. The Federal government does not operate schools. Each of the states has its own Department of Education, which sets rules for schools. Public colleges and universities receive funding from the State.Most of the control of American schools rests with each of the school districts. The School Executive Council establishes general policies. Education policymakers, hire principals, teachers, administrators and supervise the operation of the school.Education in the United States

Educationin theUnited Statesis provided by bothpublicandprivate schools.Public educationis universally available, with control and funding coming from thestate,local, andfederal government.Public school curricula, funding, teaching, employment, and other policies are set through locally elected school boards, who have jurisdiction over individualschool districts. State governments set educational standards and mandatestandardized testsfor public school systems.Private schools are generally free to determine their own curriculum and staffing policies, with voluntary accreditation available through independent regional accreditation authorities. 88% of school-age children attend public schools, 9% attend private schools, and nearly 3% are homeschooled.Education iscompulsoryover an age range starting between five and eight and ending somewhere between ages sixteen and eighteen, depending on the state.This requirement can be satisfied inpublic schools, state-certified private schools, or an approvedhome schoolprogram. In most schools, education is divided into three levels: elementary school,middle or junior high school, andhigh school. Children are usually divided by age groups into grades, ranging fromkindergartenandfirst gradefor the youngest children, up totwelfth gradeas the final year ofhigh school.There are also a large number and wide variety of publicly and privately administered institutions ofhigher education throughout the country.Post-secondary education, divided intocollege, as the first tertiary degree, andgraduate school, is described in a separate section below.

CostA few charity institutions cover all of the students' tuition, although scholarships (both merit-based and need-based) are widely available. Generally, private universities charge much higher tuition than their public counterparts, which rely on state funds to make up the difference. Because each state supports its own university system with state taxes, most public universities charge much higher rates for out-of-state students.Annual undergraduate tuition varies widely from state to state, and many additional fees apply. In 2009, average annual tuition at a public university (for residents of the state) was $7,020.Tuition for public school students from outside the state is generally comparable to private school prices, although students can often qualify for state residency after their first year. Private schools are typically much higher, although prices vary widely from "no-frills" private schools to highly specialized technical institutes. Depending upon the type of school and program, annual graduate program tuition can vary from $15,000 to as high as $50,000. Note that these prices do not include living expenses (rent, room/board, etc.) or additional fees that schools add on such as "activities fees" orhealth insurance. These fees, especially room and board, can range from $6,000 to $12,000 per academic year (assuming a single student without children).

CostThe mean annual Total Cost (including all costs associated with a full-time post-secondary schooling, such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board), as reported by collegeboard.com for 2010:[Public University (4 years): $27,967 (per year)Private University (4 years): $40,476 (per year)Total, four-year schooling:Public University: $111,868Private University: $161,904College costs are rising at the same time that state appropriations for aid are shrinking. This has led to debate over funding at both the state and local levels. From 2002 to 2004 alone, tuition rates at public schools increased over 14 percent, largely due to dwindling state funding. An increase of 6 percent occurred over the same period for private schools.Between 1982 and 2007, college tuition and fees rose three times as fast as median family income, in constant dollars.From the US Census Bureau, the median salary of an individual who has only a high school diploma is $27,967; The median salary of an individual who has a bachelor's degree is $47,345.Certain degrees, such as in engineering, typically result in salaries far exceeding high school graduates, whereas degrees in teaching and social work fall below.

Educational Stages

Formal educationin the U.S. is divided into a number of distincteducational stages. Most children enter the public education system around ages five or six. They may begin in preschool,kindergartenorfirst grade. They normally attend 12 grades of study over 12 calendar years of primary/elementary and secondary education before graduating, earning a diploma that makes them eligible for admission tohigher education. Education is only mandatory until age 16, however. There are generally five years of primary (elementary) school, during which students customarily advance together from one grade to the next as a single cohort or "class", three years of middle school, which may have cohorts, and four years of high school. There is some variability in the arrangement of grades.In the U.S.,ordinal numbers(e.g.,first grade) are used for identifying grades. Typical ages and grade groupings in contemporary, public and private schools may be found through theU.S. Department of Education. Generally there are elementary school (K-5th grade), middle school (6th-8th grades) and high school (9th-12th grades). Many different variations exist across the country.

Educational Stages

Educational Stages

Grading Scale

In schools in the United States children are constantly assessed throughout the school year by their teachers, andreport cardsare issued to parents at varying intervals. Generally the scores for individual assignments and tests are recorded for each student in a grade book, along with the maximum number of points for each assignment. At any time, the total number of points for a student when divided by the total number of possible points produces a percent grade, which can be translated to a letter grade.Letter grades are often but not always used on report cards at the end of a marking period, although the current grade may be available at other times (particularly when an electronic grade book connected to an online service is in use). Although grading scales usually differ from school to school, the most common grade scale is letter grades"A" through "F"derived from a scale of 0100 or a percentile. In some areas, Texas or Virginia for example, the "D" grade (or that between 7060) is considered a failing grade. In other jurisdictions, such asHawaii, a "D" grade is considered passing in certain classes, and failing in others.

Academic Evaluation Almost all courses in American universities are assessed individually throughout the semester through essays, research papers, or written examinations. The final grade for each course is part of the annual average student. It is rare that only one final exam to determine the grade for each course. Also, most courses are only one semester.Under theNo Child Left Behind Act, all American states mustteststudents in public schools statewide to ensure that they are achieving the desired level of minimum education,[such as on theRegents ExaminationsinNew York, or theFlorida Comprehensive Assessment Test(FCAT), and theMassachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System(MCAS); students being educated at home or in private schools are not included. The act also requires that students and schools showadequate yearly progress. This means they must show some improvement each year. When a student fails to make adequate yearly progress, No Child Left Behind mandates that remediation through summer school and/or tutoring be made available to a student in need of extra help.Academic performance impacts the perception of a school's educational program. Rural schools fare better than their urban counterparts in two key areas: test scores and drop-out rate. First, students in small schools performed equal to or better than their larger school counter parts. In addition, on the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress, 4th and 8th grade students scored as well or better in reading, science, and mathematics.During high school, students (usually in11th grade) may take one or more standardizedtestsdepending on their post-secondary education preferences and their local graduation requirements. In theory, these tests evaluate the overall level of knowledge and learning aptitude of the students. TheSATandACTare the most common standardized tests that students take when applying tocollege. A student may take the SAT, ACT, or both depending upon thepost-secondary institutionsthe student plans to apply to for admission. Most competitive schools also require two or threeSAT Subject Tests(formerly known as SAT IIs), which are shorter exams that focus strictly on a particular subject matter. However, all these tests serve little to no purpose for students who do not move on to post-secondary education, so they can usually be skipped without affecting one's ability to graduate.Standardized testing has become increasingly controversial in recent years. Creativity and the need for applicable knowledge are becoming rapidly more valuable than simple memorization. Opponents of standardized educationhave stated that it is the system of standardized education itself[that is to blame for employment issues and concerns over the questionable abilities of recent graduates

Standardized TestingTOP UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Extracurricular activitiesA major characteristic of American schools is the high priority given to sports, clubs and activities by the community, the parents, the schools and the students themselves. Extracurricular activities are educational activities not falling within the scope of the regular curriculum but under the supervision of the school. These activities can extend to large amounts of time outside the normal school day; home-schooled students, however, are not normally allowed to participate. Student participation insportsprograms,drill teams, bands, and spirit groups can amount to hours of practices and performances. Moststateshave organizations that develop rules for competition between groups. These organizations are usually forced to implement time limits on hours practiced as a prerequisite for participation. Many schools also have non-varsity sports teams; however, these are usually afforded less resources and attention.Sports programs and their related games, especiallyfootballand/orbasketball, are major events for American students and for larger schools can be a major source of funds for school districts.High school athletic competitions often generate intense interest in the community.In addition to sports, numerous non-athletic extracurricular activities are available in American schools, both public and private. Activities includeQuizbowl, musical groups, marching bands, student government, school newspapers, science fairs, debate teams, and clubs focused on an academic area (such as the Spanish Club) or community service interests (such as Key Club).