All over the world, systems of education are not ever the same. This speaks for the education system in America you need to know and for how much your understanding of this type of system can help you keep up with the American academic culture. The United States of America shares in common with every other country the fact that she provides education in all three platforms which are public, private, and home school. State governments set overall educational standards, often mandate standardized tests for K–12 public school systems and supervise, usually through a board of regents, state colleges, and universities.
And just like everywhere, private schools in America are free to determine their own curriculum and staffing policies, with voluntary accreditation available through independent regional accreditation authorities, although some state regulation can apply. However, the government are strictly controlled, managed and sponsored by the US governments. The home education only is spared for the children with exceptional conditions which may have debarred them from having access into public and private schools. Statistically in 2013, about 87% of school-age children, especially those below tertiary education, attended state funded public schools, about 10% attended tuition- and foundation-funded private schools, and roughly 3% were home-schooled.
There is also a large number and wide variety of publicly and privately administered colleges and universities. America is no doubt currently having most of its universities and college on the list of top ten best universities in the world. At least it covers over 8 out of the 10. College enrollment rates in the United States have increased over the long term. Higher education includes extremely wealthy and selective universities, public research universities, private liberal arts colleges, historically black colleges and universities, community colleges, for-profit colleges, and many other kinds and combinations of institutions.
Their American education system obvious is run in such a way that it provides various platforms for the ease of attaining good grades as long as you are not lazy. The education system in America you need to know takes into consideration the individual strengths of students across its lands and as so places each student on the standards on which they can better utilize their potentials for excellence.
Education System in America You Need to Know
The education system in America you need to know is that easy and you may not really know it probably because America always has a different term for the different academic stages students pass through until the final stage of education. Well, there is no final stage of education anywhere in the world. Below is a table which describes the various categories of learning, the levels or stages of learning of every child in the United States of America, in line with their ages as they grow:
1. Levels of Learning for American Children
| Category | School Grade Level | Ages |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool | Preschool | 3-5 |
| Compulsory education | ||
| Kindergarten | 5-6 | |
| Elementary school | 1st grade | 6-7 |
| 2nd grade | 7-8 | |
| 3rd grade | 8-9 | |
| 4th grade | 9-10 | |
| 5th grade | 10-11 | |
| Middle school | 6th grade | 11-12 |
| 7th grade | 12-13 | |
| 8th grade | 13-14 | |
| High school | 9th grade / Freshman | 14-15 |
| 10th grade / Sophomore | 15-16 | |
| 11th grade / Junior | 16-17 | |
| 12th grade / Senior | 17-18 | |
| Higher education | ||
| College | First year: “freshman year” | 18-19 |
| Second year: “sophomore year” | 19-20 | |
| Third year: “junior year” | 20-21 | |
| Fourth year: “senior year” | 21-22 | |
| Graduate school (with various degrees and curricular partitions thereof) | 21 or 22 and up | |
| Continuing education | ||
| Vocational education | 16 and up | |
| Adult education | 18 and up | |
2. How Education is Funded in the United States of America
Funding in America has majorly allowed for free access to education. This is owing to the various scholarship opportunities made open to interested students or individuals. At the college and university level student loan funding is split in half; half is managed by the Department of Education directly, called the Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP). The other half is managed by commercial entities such as banks, credit unions, and financial services firms such as Sallie Mae, under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Some schools accept only FFELP loans; others accept only FDSLP. Still others accept both, and a few schools will not accept either, in which case students must seek out private alternatives for student loans.
Grant funding is provided by the federal Pell Grant program.
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