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Education in the US
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AGE GRADE
Preschool/Kindergarten
Primary School
Doctoral Degree (3-6 years) Ph.D.
High School (4 years)
Middle School (Junior High) (3 years)
AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Elementary School (5 years)
Community College (2 mo. - 2 years)College/University (4 years)
Undergraduate Degree B.A., B.S.
Master's Degree (2-3 years)
Secondary School
Graduate SchoolPost-
Secondary School
Decentralization Federal Level
• 10th amendment, education is not a federal responsibility but a state and local matter.
• At the federal level:• The Department of Education headed by an
Education Secretary • Little authority except for:– creating special programs for minority students and
for the disabled;– - granting loans to students.
Decentralization State Level
• A State Board of Education headed by a Commissioner. Its members are either appointed by State Governor or elected. Its role consists in: – Setting common policy and
minimum standards for public schools within the state;
– certifying teachers;– opening new schools.
Decentralization Local Level
• Local subdivisions: school boards • Responsible for:– Choosing the curriculum;– Hiring teachers– Managing the budget.
Background information• Most schools are public (only 10% attend
private schools). • Schooling is compulsory and lasts 12 years. • Afternoons spent on extracurricular activities. • Students are graded with letters :
• A excellent, • B good, • C average, • D poor, • E very poor, • F Failure.
Desegregation• School segregation officially terminated in 1954.
• Since 1971, busing policy aimed at integration of minorities.
Resegregation
• Since the 1980’s significant resegregation of schools
• Busing policy abandoned • Particularly bad situation
for black students and Hispanics (75% attend segregated schools).
Bilingual Education
• 1968, introduction of bilingual programs for minorities mainly Spanish-speaking population
• Reluctance of many Hispanics to learn English.
• In some schools classes are taught in English, but children may ask questions and answer in Spanish.
Bilingual education cont.
• However, bilingual education perceived as a threat to the country’s cohesiveness.
• The English language has no official status in the US Constitution.
Education Crisis
• Basic skills such as reading & writing not fully mastered when students leave high school.
• High school students have poor academic records.
• Many Americans are undereducatedFunctional illiteracy rate (knows how to read but unable to master simple tasks such as filling out a job application) is believed to reach 20%.
Relaxed System• American children spend 180 days in
school (220 in France and 240 in Japan).
• They have 20-hour weeks with most afternoons free for extracurricular activities.
• No National Curriculum : subjects such as history, geography or foreign languages are optional.
Number of School Days
Social Promotion• Children move up the grade ladder regardless of their
real abilities (the idea was not to destroy children’s self-esteem)
• Those who perform poorly are not encouraged to improve.
Budget• Federal share of
education spending dropped.
• Budget depends on where one lives : funds come from property taxes.
Detroit, Chicago. Jan 11th, 2016
• Schools located in poor neighborhoods have less funding than in wealthier areas.
Alabama Denver
• They face high dropout rate • Violence problems (schools
equipped with metal detectors).
Denver
Teachers
• Level of qualification often not up to standard.• Demand is low: teaching profession does not
attract many candidates • Salaries are low• Schools sometimes take
whoever applies.
American Universities• Higher education in America has a worldwide
reputation for excellence. • Over 3,500 higher education institutions in the
US, half of which are private. • Eight old universities called Ivy League: – They include Harvard, Princeton, and Yale
Organization • Short studies (2y) in junior or
community colleges • Long studies (4 y) leading to Bachelor’s
degree • 1st year students are called freshmen
and become sophomores, juniors and finally seniors (4th year).
• After graduation can move on to graduate studies. (Master’s degree then the PhD).
• There is no national diploma; the value of a degree depends on the prestige of the university
Selective and expensive
• Enrollment is both selective and expensive.• Advanced learning is perceived as a privilege not
as a right. • Applicants must submit high school grades, make
a written application and be interviewed. • Since education standards and requirements
differ from state to state, most colleges require students to take standardized tests, namely ACT, SAT, TOEFEL
Tuition Fees
• Public universities are in part financed by their states (45%).
• Private universities are totally independent financially. They rely on student tuition and on donations from businesses and from alumni
• In both public and private universities students must pay fees.
Private vs Public • Fees are lower in public universities but yet high• Financing solutions:
• Parents must save years to send their children to college.• Loans from banks and the federal government. • Federal «work-study programs” students work between
10 and 20 hours a week.
Emphasis on Athletics.
• Universities have baseball, football or basketball teams. – Students might be admitted or granted a
scholarship based on their athletic performance. – Benefits students from minority backgrounds.
Still Separate and Unequal*• America Spends a Lot of Money Per Student– The U.S. ranks fifth in spending per student
• Socio-Economic Class Plays a Larger Role in the U.S. Than in Other Countries
• A Different Starting Line– Educational expectations are lower for black children
• Separate and Unequal– More than 2 million black students attend schools
where 90 % of students are from minority students
* USNews.com Jan. 28, 2015
