Education in the United States
Has been an important Factor in the economic development of the United States and in the achievement of a high standard of living for most Americans .
Schools, libraries and museums provide learning opportunities for people of all ages .
Development of School-System
During the early history of the United States most schools were privately owned.
Church groups owned and operates many of them .
In the early 1800â²s the idea of free public schools began to gain widespread support in the country . State and local governments took the responsibility for establishing public school systems .
By 1918, every state had laws requiring children to attend school until they reached a certain age or completed a certain grade .
Structure of the Educational System
About 90% of American schools, elementary and high schools and about half of its institutions of higher learning, are free and public.
English: Former Lisbon Elementary School, Waterpro...
Cork Elementary School
English: School Choir of an Elementary School in t...Most of them are co-educational.
The rest are fee-charging private schools, mostly Roman Catholic parochial schools. Private schools are mostly single-sex schools.
American education comprises three levels:
*elementary education, there are about 79000 Schools in the USA
*secondary education, there are about 29000 High Schools
*higher education, there are about 3000 colleges, universities, and community or junior colleges in the country .
Schooling is compulsory from the ages of 5 to 16.
There are several structural patterns in use, depending on the location:
*6-3-3 plan: Elementary School: grades 1-6; Junior High School: grades 7-9;
Senior High School: grades 10-12;
*8-4 plan: Elementary School: grades 1-8; High School; grades 9-12;
*6-6 plan: Elementary School: grades 1-6; High School; 7-12;
All plans lead to high school graduation at about 17 to 18 years of age.
Many American children begin their schooling before enrolling in first grade .
More than...