ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN AMERICA

GOING TO SCHOOL IN AMERICA TODAY

The goal of American effort to educate an entire national population to achieve 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 general public.
Though this goal has not yet been fully achieved, it remains an ideal toward which the American educational system is directed. The progress which has been made is notable both for its scope and for the educational methods which have been developed in the process of achieving it.
About 85 % American students attend public schools (schools supported by American taxpayers). The other 15 % attend private schools for which their families choose to pay special attendance fees. Four out of five private schools in the United States are run by churches or other religious group. In such schools religious teachings are a part of the curriculum, which also includes the traditional academic courses of reading, mathematics, history, geography and science.

EDUCATION -A LOCAL MATTER

From Hawaii to Delaware, from Alaska to Louisiana, each of the 50 states has its own laws regulating education. From state to state, some laws are similar while others are not. For example:
• All states require young people to attend school. The age limit varies, however. Most states require attendance up to age 16, some up to 18. Thus, every child in America receives at least 11 years of education. This is true regardless of a child's sex, race, religion, learning problems, physical handicaps, and ability to speak English, citizenship, or status as an immigrant. (Although some members of Congress have advocated permitting the states to deny public education to children of illegal immigrants, such a proposal has not become law.)
• Some states play a strong central role in the selection of learning material for their students. For example, state committees may decide which textbooks can be purchased with state funds. In other states, such decisions are left to local school officials.
Although there is no national curriculum in the United States, certain subjects are taught in virtually all elementary and secondary schools throughout the country. Almost every elementary school, for example, teaches mathematics; language arts (including reading, grammar, writing, and literature); penmanship; science; social studies (including history, geography, citizenship, and economics); and physical education. In many schools, children are taught how to use computers, which have also become integral parts of other courses.
In addition to required courses -- for example, a year of American history, two years of literature, etc. -- secondary schools, like colleges, typically offer electives. Popular electives include performing arts, driver's education, cooking, and "shop" (use of tools, carpentry, and repair of machinery).
Americans have a strong tendency to educate their children about major pubic concerns problem such as environmental pollution, nuclear issues, neighborhood crime and drugs.

WHAT AN AMERICAN STUDENT LEARNS

American students pass through several levels of schooling – and thus, several curricula on their way to a high school diploma. They attend:
• Elementary School. In statistical reports published by the federal government “elementary school” usually means grades kindergarten (K) through $. But in some places the elementary school includes only gradesK-6. And sometimes grades4.5 and 6 make up what is called a “middle grade” school
• Secondary school. Again in statistical report,”secondary school” generally means grades 9-12. These grades are popularly called “high school”. However in many districts junior “high school” includes grades 7-9. And when grades 7-9 are included with the 10th, 11th and 12th grades, all six are said to form a “senior high school”

Although there is no national curriculum in the United States, certain subjects are taught in all K to 12 systems across the country.
Almost every elementary school provides instruction in these subjects: mathematics: language arts (a subject that includes reading, grammar, composition and literature); penmanship; science: social studies (a subject that includes history, geography, citizenship and economics: music; art and physical education. In many elementary schools, courses in the use of computers have been introduced. And in some cases a second language is offered in the upper elementary grade.
Some high schools specialize in particular types of subjects – business education, or industrial trades, or foreign languages, for example. A student planning to be a physician would want to attend a school offering many electives in science.

A CRACK OF A SYSTEM

By the early 1980sthe most popular electives were physical education, music performance, basic English Grammar and composition, driver education, health, repair of tools and machinery, marriage training and home economics.
The trend of electives was clearly not forward academic subjects. This was the issue Americans debated with some concern in the early 1980s
• The opportunity to get an education that prepares a person for his or her life’s work – whether in computer science, office work, agriculture or a trade.
• The opportunity to pursue and study one’s own interests – whether child development, political science or speaking foreign language.
• The opportunity to discover one’s own talents and perfect them- whether in music, creative writing or ceramics.
There was no mistaking the evidence, Nationwide testing services used at different grade levels and college entrance examinations demonstrated the drop in student scores. College administrators and business executives began to complain that high school graduate needed remedial courses in reading, mathematics and composition. Americans reported that about 13 % of America’s 17-year- olds were “functionally illiterate”. This is, they were unable to deal successfully with everyday demands such as reading printed instructions, filling out a job application, etc.

TOWARD THE 21ST CENTURY

No single cause was identified for what ailed American secondary education. Similarly, there was no one solution. The U.S. Department of Education established a national commission to examine the question. In 1983 the commission made several recommendations: lengthen the school day and year, formulate a new core curriculum for all students (four years of English; three years each of math, science, and social studies; a half-year of computer science), and raise the standards of performance in each subject. As a result, many schools have tightened their requirements, and test scores for American children have been rising.
In 1989 President George Bush and the governors of all 50 states gave the movement to reform American education a new impetus when they set six goals to be achieved by the year 2000:
• That all children will start school ready to learn.
• That 90 percent of all high school students will graduate.
• That all students will achieve competence in core subjects at certain key points in their progress.
• That American students will be first in the world in math and science achievement.
• That every American adult will be literate and have the skills to function as a citizen and a worker.
• That all schools will be free of drugs and violence and offer a disciplined environment that is conducive to learning.
Congress established a program called Goals 2000, by which the states receive federal grants to help them reach the goals. By 1996, progress had been made -- 86 percent of American students completed high school
In 2001 President George W. Bush proposed a plan to further improve student performance, and Congress enacted legislation to carry out his goals. Emphasizing the needs of individual students, the legislation requires states to set high standards and require accountability, gives school districts control over spending of federal funds, expands options for parents in choosing the best schools for their children, and supports instruction based on proven methods of learning.
NCLBA

No Child Left behind Act was signed into law by President George Bush in 2001 and was the first comprehensive reform of the United States Educational system since 1965.
For years the students entering college scored lower on the entrance exam and up to 50 percent
of those students needed some remedial assistance once in college.
The purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act was to better prepare America children for college and the working world.
Elementary Education Grades 1-3....the primary focus is reading first. Math and hand writing will also be stressed. Science and Physical Educational will also be taught. It is the role of the teachers
to make sure that students are making adequate progress in all areas but especially reading.
By the end of the 3rd grade all students will take a Federal Examination measuring the students
ability to read. Those on course or ahead are allowed to continue. Those students falling behind or not making the mark will be assigned remedial training to improve their reading skills.
Elementary Education Grades 4-6....during this time once the reading skill has been perfected...students will still be stressed to become better readers. But also at this time math
and science will be heavily studied. The concept being that a good reader will do well in math and science.
This is in response to a drop in grade scores of 15% since 1990.
Again a federal test will be administered concentrating on math and science as well as reading. Those failing to make the grade will receive remedial teaching. In the middle schools, Grades 7-9 in most areas, foreign language will be introduced to help meet the need for multi-language people. With heavy emphasis on recruiting Native Foreign Language speakers. More advanced math and science classes will be introduced. And again the students will be evaluated by a Federal Examination testing the student’s knowledge in all areas of Education.
Next in high school, Grades 10-12, a college preparatory environment will come into play for those students identified by the PreSAT taken at the being of the 10th grade. This test serves not only as a predictor of college success but also as a test to find strengths and weaknesses in the students’ education and knowledge.
The student in Grade 11 and 12 are then working to increase their SAT scores taken in the middle and also retaken at the end of 12 Grade. Those students with high SAT scores (perfect score is 1500...750 on Verbal and reading and 750 on Math) will find entrance into the University or College of their choice. The others will attend other Universities, College, and Technical Schools.