Education in the U.S.

is mainly provided by the public sector and funded by the federal, state and
local governments. The modern goals of the American Education System is to develop a well –
rounded individual prepared with:

 critical thinking skills

 problem solving skills
 creativity when approaching real life situations

American children and teenagers traditionally attend to:

1) pre – school (age 3 – 5) – which is not compulsory

2) primary school = elementary school
 kindergarten (age 5 – 6)
 grades 1 – 6 (age 6 – 12)
3) middle school = junior high school
 grades 7 – 8 (age 12 – 14)
4) high school = secondary school
 grades 9 – 12 (age 14 – 18)
 students in these grades are commonly referred to as:
o freshmen (grade 9)
o sophomores (grade 10)
o juniors (grade 11)
o seniors (grade 12)

High school students take a broad variety of classes without special emphasis in any particular
subject.

Mandatory subjects required in nearly all U.S. high schools are:

 Science (biology, chemistry, physics)

 Mathematics (algebra, geometry, pre – calculus, statistics, calculus)
 English (literature, humanities, composition)
 Social Sciences (world history, U.S. history, economics)
 Physical Education

Curricula vary widely in rigidity – some schools consider 65% a passing grade, while others consider it
to be as low as 60% or as high as 75%.

Extracurricular activities are educational activities not falling within the scope of the regular
curriculum. They are performed by the students under the supervision of the school and are always
voluntary. Extracurricular activities include:

 sports programs (football, volleyball, basketball, swimming, cheerleading, dance, etc.)

 performing arts (orchestra bands, jazz bands, choirs, school plays)
 debate teams, student government, philanthropic organizations, public awareness
organizations, various clubs

Alternative forms of education in the U.S.:

1) homeschooling
 the education of children at home solely by their parents and private tutors
2) private schools and private academies
  schools that are funded solely by the parents of a student
 these schools usually offer more specialized courses than public schools
3) parochial schools
 schools that are run by church organizations
 these schools are funded by the parent of a student and petitioner contributions
4) charter schools
 schools that operate independently from the public school system and commit to
obtaining specific educational objectives
 these schools are funded by both private funds and public funds and have a stricter
control over enrollment than the schools of other kinds

Teachers and school administrators in the U.S. confront many undeniable challenges. Here is a list of
the most severe and distressing ones.

1) KEEPING SCHOOL SAFE

A 2018 survey by the Pew Research Center conducted two moths after this year’s
February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, showed that 57% of U.S. teenagers are worried
that a shooting could take place at their own school. One in four are “very worried” about
the chance.
Those numbers are staggering but hardly surprising given the rash of school
shootings that have captured headlines this year and in previous years. Since the shooting at
Colorado’s Columbine High School in April 1999, more than 187,000 U.S. students have been
exposed to gun violence in school.
Educators understand that if students don’t feel safe at school, their achievement
and mental health suffers. It’s the paramount duty of everyone in the community – and the
politicians who represent them – to help create safe learning spaces.

2) POVERTY

It was reported last year that 22% of the children in the U.S. live at or below poverty
level. Some estimates put poverty levels for public school students at 25% in the not-so-
distant future.
Students living at or below poverty level tend to have the highest dropout rates.
Studies show that students who do not get enough food, rest or sleep are less likely to
perform at their full academic potential. Schools know these truths first – hand, and despite
efforts to provide students with basic essentials, teachers, administrators and lawmakers
know there is simply not enough to go around.

3) ALCOHOL USE, SMOKING AND DRUG USE AMONG STUDENTS

Despite the risky nature of early substance use, drug abuse in schools and among adolescents
is an all too common occurrence. Studies show that by senior year in high school, nearly 50%
of teens have already tried an illicit drug. About 66% of teens have drank alcohol by the end
of high school, too. Youth who take drugs or drink alcohol are far more likely to experience:

 school problems, such as lower grades or higher rates of absences

 social problems, such as fighting or lack of participation in social life
 legal problems, such as arrest for driving or physically hurting someone while drunk
  physical problems, such as hangovers or illnesses
 disruption of physical and mental growth
 physical and sexual violence
 memory problems
 changes in brain development that may have life – long effects

4) FAMILY FACTORS

Family factors also play a role in a teacher’s ability to teach students. Principals and
teachers agree that what is going on at home will impact a student’s propensity to learn.
Divorce, single parents, poverty, violence and many other issues are all challenges a student
brings to school every day.
While some teachers and administrators try to work with children in less than ideal
family environments, they can only do so much – especially when parents are often not
willing to partner with the schools to provide for the children.

5) OBESITY

Obesity, which has reached epidemic proportions in the country, increases a

student’s risk for various conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Obesity can
also lead to higher absenteeism, lower student achievement and more academic issues.

Various national school lunch movements have been working to bring healthier
options into school lunchrooms across the country. Exercise programs are also coming to
schools across the U.S. to promote more physical activity among students of all ages.
However, it seems the country as a whole still has a long way to go to get on the road to
better health on a large scale.

6) BULLYING

Bullying is a chronic problem and a one that has a profound impact on the learning
aptitude of many students in the country today. Technology has given bullies even more
avenues to torment their victims – through social networking, texting and other virtual
interactions.
Cyberbullying has become a major issue for schools, as evidenced by the number of
suicides that can be directly traced to bullying events. The fact that laws are still fuzzy
regarding cyberbullying adds to the challenge – since parents, teachers and administrators
are unsure of how to legally handle such issues.

7) TECHNOLOGY OVERUSE AND ADDICTION AMONG STUDENTS

While technology helps young adults study and communicate, its overuse can pose
certain key risks to them. Internet addiction is emerging as an uncontrollable behavior
addiction among youth these days. Various studies have shown that this addiction is also
associated with distress, impairment of sight, stress, anxiety, and even depression.
Technology addiction disrupts the sleep cycle or sleep pattern completely. Sleep
disorders can develop as teens stay up until late hours to play with technology, and as a
result academic, athletic, and social performance can suffer. Weight gain and other
 complications of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease or
diabetes, may result. Social skills of a student might also deteriorate.
Another concern is that those who are addicted to technology are actually more
likely to also use substances than their peers with healthier relationships to technology,
providing the insight that technology addiction may be a risk factor for alcohol and other
drug addiction.
Studies have shown that brain scans of young people with internet addiction disorder
(IAD) are similar to those of people with substance addictions to alcohol, cocaine, and
cannabis. Damage to systems associated with emotional processing, attention, and decision –
making was detected both in substance addicts’ and technology addicts’ brains. This
discovery shows that being addicted to technology can, in some ways, be as physically and
mentally damaging as an addiction to alcohol or any other drug.

8) STUDENT ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS

Many public school teachers also cite student attitudes, such as apathy and
disrespect for teachers, as a major problem facing schools today. A poll from the National
Center for Education Statistics cited that problems like apathy, tardiness and disrespect
posed significant challenges for teachers and school administrators. These issues are seen
more frequently at the secondary school level, rather than the primary grades.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE U.S.

After graduating from high school, many young people choose to continue their education. They go
to college, when they earn a bachelor’s degree. Then they can study at university, where they can
earn a master’s degree. Then some of them achieve the highest possible level of qualification – a
doctoral research degree (PhD).

The quality of education at most U.S. universities is extraordinarily high. Many of the U.S. universities
had been ranked among the top academic institutions in the world.

 MASSACHUSETTS OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT)

MIT is a research polytechnic university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in

1861, MIT has since played a key role in the development of modern technology and science.

 HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Harvard University is a research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in

1636 and named for its first benefactor, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher
learning in the U.S. and it has more graduates and researchers who have won Nobel Prizes
(161) or Fields Medals (18) than any other university in the world.

 YALE UNIVERSITY

Yale University is a research university located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701,
it is the third – oldest institution of higher education in America. 31 of living Yale University
graduates are billionaires.