American Education Overview

Education in the United States is provided mainly by government, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. At the school levels, curricula, funding, teaching, and other policies are set through locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over school districts. Generally 5-16 or 8-18 year olds have compulsory education with variation by states.

There are two kinds of schools: public & private. In most public and private schools, education is divided into three levels: elementary school, junior high school (also often called middle school), and senior high school. The twelfth grade is the final year of high school. College or university education is generally governed separately from the elementary and high school system.

A 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. America practices positive discrimination by reserving certain percentage of seats in colleges and universities to promote equality among the different races.

Quick Stats:

National education budget $862 billion (2004)

Literacy (2003): 97%
Men 97%
Women 97%
 
Enrollment: 76.6 million
Primary: 37.9 million
Secondary 16.4 million
Post-secondary 17.5 million