The document summarizes the American education system from preschool through university level education. It describes the decentralized structure with control at the federal, state, and local levels. It also discusses historical issues like desegregation, challenges like inadequate funding and preparation in some areas, and the emphasis on extracurricular activities and athletics at the university level. Overall, the document provides an overview of the key components and historical context of the American education system from elementary through post-secondary levels.

1. Education in the US

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AGE GRADE
Preschool/Kindergarten
Primary
School
Doctoral Degree
(3-6 years) Ph.D.
High School (4 years)
Middle School (Junior High) (3 years)
AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Elementary School (5 years)
Community College (2 mo. - 2 years)
College/University (4 years)
Undergraduate Degree B.A., B.S.
Master's Degree
(2-3 years)
Secondary
School
Graduate
School
Post-
Secondary
School

3. Decentralization
Federal Level
• 10th amendment, education is not a federal
responsibility but a state and local matter.
• At the federal level:
• The Department of Education headed
by an Education Secretary
• Little authority except for:
– creating special programs for minority students
and for the disabled;
– - granting loans to students.

4. Decentralization
State Level
• A State Board of Education
headed by a Commissioner. Its
members are either appointed by
State Governor or elected. Its role
consists in:
– Setting common policy and
minimum standards for public
schools within the state;
– certifying teachers;
– opening new schools.

5. Decentralization
Local Level
• Local subdivisions: school boards
• Responsible for:
– Choosing the curriculum;
– Hiring teachers
– Managing the budget.

6. Background information
• Most schools are public (only 10% attend
private schools).
• Schooling is compulsory and lasts 12 years.
• Afternoons spent on extracurricular activities.
• Students are graded with letters :
• A excellent,
• B good,
• C average,
• D poor,
• E very poor,
• F Failure.

7. Desegregation
• School segregation officially terminated in 1954.
• Since 1971, busing policy aimed at integration
of minorities.

8. School resegregation

9. Resegregation
• Since the 1980’s
significant resegregation
of schools
• Busing policy abandoned
• Particularly bad situation
for black students and
Hispanics (75% attend
segregated schools).

10. Bilingual Education
• 1968, introduction of bilingual programs for
minorities mainly Spanish-speaking population
• Reluctance of many Hispanics to learn English.
•In some schools
classes are
taught in English,
but children may
ask questions and
answer in Spanish.

11. Bilingual education cont.
• However, bilingual
education perceived as a
threat to the country’s
cohesiveness.
• The English language has
no official status in the US
Constitution.

12. Education Crisis
• Basic skills such as reading & writing
not fully mastered when students
leave high school.
• High school students have poor
academic records.
• Many Americans are undereducated
Functional illiteracy rate (knows how to read but
unable to master simple tasks such as filling out a
job application) is believed to reach 20%.

13. OECD 2013

14. Relaxed System
• American children spend 180 days
in school (220 in France and 240 in
Japan).
• They have 20-hour weeks with most
afternoons free for extracurricular
activities.
• No National Curriculum : subjects
such as history, geography or foreign
languages are optional.
Number of School Days

15. Social Promotion
• Children move up the grade ladder regardless of
their real abilities (the idea was not to destroy
children’s self-esteem)
• Those who perform
poorly are not
encouraged
to improve.

16. Budget
• Federal share of
education spending
dropped.
• Budget depends on
where one lives :
funds come from
property taxes.

17. Detroit, Chicago. Jan 11th, 2016

18. • Schools
located in poor
neighborhoods
have less
funding than in
wealthier
areas.
Alabama
Denver

19. • They face high dropout rate
• Violence problems (schools
equipped with metal
detectors).
Denver

20. Alabama Denver

21. Teachers
• Level of qualification often not up to standard.
• Demand is low: teaching profession does not
attract many candidates
• Salaries are low
• Schools sometimes take
whoever applies.

22. American Universities
• Higher education in America has a worldwide
reputation for excellence.
• Over 3,500 higher education institutions in the
US, half of which are private.
• Eight old universities called Ivy League:
– They include Harvard, Princeton, and Yale

23. Organization
• Short studies (2y) in junior or
community colleges
• Long studies (4 y) leading to
Bachelor’s degree
• 1st year students are called
freshmen and become sophomores,
juniors and finally seniors (4th year).
• After graduation can move on to
graduate studies. (Master’s degree
then the PhD).
• There is no national diploma; the
value of a degree depends on the
prestige of the university

24. Selective and expensive
• Enrollment is both selective and expensive.
• Advanced learning is perceived as a privilege not
as a right.
• Applicants must submit high school grades, make
a written application and be interviewed.
• Since education standards and requirements
differ from state to state, most colleges require
students to take standardized tests, namely ACT,
SAT, TOEFEL

25. Tuition Fees
• Public universities are in part financed by their
states (45%).
• Private universities are totally independent
financially. They rely on student tuition and on
donations from businesses and from alumni
• In both public and private universities
students must pay fees.

26. Private vs Public
• Fees are lower in public universities but yet high
• Financing solutions:
• Parents must save years to send their children to college.
• Loans from banks and the federal government.
• Federal «work-study programs” students work between
10 and 20 hours a week.

27. Extracurricular Activities

28. Emphasis on Athletics.
• Universities have baseball, football or
basketball teams.
– Students might be admitted or granted a
scholarship based on their athletic performance.
– Benefits students from minority backgrounds.

29. Still Separate and Unequal*
• America Spends a Lot of Money Per Student
– The U.S. ranks fifth in spending per student
• Socio-Economic Class Plays a Larger Role in the
U.S. Than in Other Countries
• A Different Starting Line
– Educational expectations are lower for black
children
• Separate and Unequal
– More than 2 million black students attend schools
where 90 % of students are from minority students
* USNews.com Jan. 28, 2015

30. Thank you for your attention !