Overview of American Education presentation.ppt

Overview of American Education System

1. Education in America
Overview of the U.S. Educational System

2. Federal, State and Local Government
U.S. Department of Education - federal regulations related to Title Mandates
– tied to funding (3 – 5% of school budgets):
•Equal rights for women – Title IX
•Support for at-risk children and families – Title I
•IDEA – 504 and Special Education
State Education Agency– Constitutional right for states to regulate
education – funding coordination to school districts (95% of budget to
dist)
•State Commissioner appointed by governor
•Elected state board of education oversees state curriculum, testing requirements,
personnel regulations (retirement)
Local District – Elected school boards of 7 – 9 members
•Hire/evaluate the superintendent
•Budget oversight – distribution of funds to schools, salary schedules for
employees, etc.

3. 17 12
16 11
15 10
14 9
13 8
12 7
11 6
10 5
9 4
8 3
7 2
6 1
5
4
3
AGE GRADE
Preschool/Kindergarten
Primary
School
Doctoral
Degree (3-6
years) Ph.D.
High School (3-4 years)
Middle School (Junior High) (2-3-4
years)
Graduate
School
Elementary School (5-6 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
Post-
Secondary
School

4. Side-by side Comparison

5. School Choice in America
Public vs. Private Education
Do you know how these education options differ?
•Public schools
•Charter schools (state or district)
•Magnet schools (district schools of choice)
•Private schools (religious, for profit, non-profit)
•Adult Education (G.E.D.)
•Home school
•49.5 million public school students and 3.1 million teachers
•Approximately 6 million students in private schools
•Compulsory education (Kinder or 1st to graduation)
•Only 15 states plus DC require kindergarten

6. Alternative forms of Education
•Virtual School – popular in rural areas, high school credit recovery and students
who need more flexible schedules
•Home schooling
•In 2007, approximately 1.5 million children were home schooled: 2.9% of
all children.
•Often associated with religious groups.
•Private Schools/Private Academies
•Funded solely by student tuition.
•May offer more specialized courses or special needs.
•Parochial School
•Run by church organizations.
•Funded by student tuition and petitioner contributions.
•Charter School
•Funded by both private funds and public funds.
•Stricter control over enrollment (entry and continued)

7. Educator Credentialing and hiring
Teachers
•Bachelor’s Degree (4 yr) plus state exam for grade level or content level. Additional
certifications may be added by coursework and exam in Special Education, English as a
Second Language, Gifted and Talented, Bilingual, etc.
•Depending on the state, may be unionized to advocate for benefits and salaries
•Usually hired by principal and/or committee of school stakeholders
•Appraisals of performance based on student achievement
•Usually one year contracts
•Some states offer tenure to highly effective teachers
•Retirement benefits vary by state
•Not paid during summer

8. Administrators
Principals require teacher credential PLUS minimum 3 years experience as a teacher,
master’s degree, state exam
•Depending on the state, may be unionized to advocate for benefits and salaries
•Usually hired by superintendent and/or committee of school stakeholders
•Appraisals of performance based on student achievement, surveys, discipline referrals
•Usually one year contracts
Superintendents may require teacher credential PLUS principal credentials PLUS
superintendent exam
•Not unionized
•Usually hired by local school board of trustees
•Appraisals of performance based on district data, budget and community satisfaction
•Usually 1 to 3 year contracts – characteristically high turnover rates

9. Professional Development
•Training opportunities provided by the school district
during the day or afterschool
•Many offered on-line to be completed afterschool
•Early dismissal days throughout the year for PD and/or
parent conferences
•Graduate degrees pursued and paid for by teacher – not
subsidized
•National teacher certification - http://www.nbpts.org/

10. American Primary/Elementary Schools
•Public Elementary School teachers instruct between 20-30 students
of diverse learning needs.
•A typical classroom will include children with a range of learning needs
or abilities, from those identified as having special needs (special education) to
students non-native English speakers (ESL students).
•Each local school district provides textbooks to give to the students for each
subject, and brief overviews of what the teacher are expected to teach.
•Learning standards are identified for all areas of a curriculum by individual
States, including those for mathematics, social studies, science, physical
development, the fine arts, and reading.
•Elementary School teachers are trained with emphases on human cognitive and
psychological development and the principles of curriculum development and
instruction.
•Teachers typically earn either a Bachelors or Masters Degree in Early
Childhood and Elementary Education.
•Certification standards for teachers are determined by individual states.

11. Typical Day of an American Elementary School Teacher
•A typical teacher works 8 hours, 5 days a week, at the same school.
[August/September-June]
•Federal Holidays and summer vacations off from work.
•Primary school teachers may teach the same group of students (20-30 students) for
the full day or the campus may be departmentalized – usually at testing grades (3
rd

and up)
• Courses include: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies.
•Teachers have one (40-45 minute) planning period during the day.
•Students receive classes from a different teacher—Music, Art, Gym (sports), Drama,
Chorus, etc. during the teacher’s planning period
•Teachers meet weekly during the day to discuss students and curriculum called
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
•Teachers must have one lunch break (30 minute) during the day.
•Many teachers stay after school to participate in extracurricular activities for students
or provide additional teaching time.

12. American Secondary Schools: Middle School
•Middle School include the 6
th
– 8
th
grades between elementary
school and senior high school.
•At this time, students are given more independence:
•Having different teachers for each subjects.
•Taking on more independent homework
assignments and projects.
•Moving to different classrooms for different
subjects
•being allowed to choose some of their class subjects
(electives).

13. American Secondary Schools: High School
•High school - 9th through 12th grade.
•The students in these grades are classified as:
• Freshmen (grade 9)
• Sophomores (grade 10)
• Juniors (grade 11)
• Seniors (grade 12)
•Students are encouraged to pursue a concentration in a specific
area of study in preparation for college
•Early college options allow students to earn college credits
simultaneously
•Vocational programs provide certifications for graduation

14. High School Curriculum
•Students take a broad variety of classes
•Curricula vary widely in quality and rigidity
• Some states consider 65 (on a 100-point scale) a passing grade, while others
consider it to be as low as 60 or as high as 75.
•Varied tracks to graduation include Advanced Placement (AP) courses which result in
graduation plans with higher GPAs
•End of Course exams required to earn credit toward graduation
•Mandatory subjects are required in nearly all U.S. high schools:
•Science (3 years of biology, chemistry and physics)
•Mathematics (4 years of algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, statistics, and
calculus)
•English (4 years of literature, humanities, composition, etc.)
•Social sciences (3 years world and U.S. history, gov./economics)
•Physical education (4 years)
•Many states require a "health" course (anatomy, first aid, sexuality, birth
control)

15. Extracurricular Activities in American Schools
•A major characteristic of American schools is the high priority given to sports, clubs and
activities
•Extracurricular activities are educational activities not falling within the scope of the regular
curriculum but under the supervision of the school.
•These activities can extend to large amounts of time outside the normal school day and
include:
•Sports Programs—Football, Basketball, Soccer, Swimming, Wrestling,
Cheerleading, Rowing, Dance, etc.
•Performing Arts—orchestra bands, jazz bands, marching bands, choirs,
school plays/drama clubs/musicals
•Debate teams, Student Government, Public Awareness Organizations,
Various Clubs (Poetry Club, Photography Club, etc.)
•Language clubs (primarily Spanish and French clubs)
•Cultural activities
•Many parents pay for lessons and activities to supplement their children’s edcuation.

16. Social Issues in American Education
•English Acquisition
•Debate on how to best accommodate for non-English speaking students and parent
interest in foreign language instruction.
•ESL programs vs. Bilingual programs
•Dual Language Programs
•Common Core - Nationwide Education Content and Education Quality
•Different content, grade systems and quality
•Textbook Review and Adoption
•Other Issues
•Education regarding violence, sex and drug abuse
•LGBTQ – Social issues and integration
•Support students who are working

17. Post-secondary Education Options
•Public/private universities and colleges
•Community colleges and vocational schools
•Rising Cost of Tuition for higher education/school
loans

18. Cost of Higher Education
CNN/Money reported tuition hikes in 2004/05

19. Student Assessment
•Cost to taxpayers – Big business as states out-source testing
administration/scoring to private companies
•Preparation for the test diminishes students and teachers as
people
•Need for accountability and equity
•Tremendous stress in children contributing to mental health
issues
•Educators leaving the profession

20. Community Involvement in Education
•Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent-Teacher
Organization (PTO)
•Site-based Decision-Making Committee (SDMC)
•Booster Clubs
•Fundraising – festivals, raffles, sales
•School Boards elected to oversee district schools

21. The politics and economics of
education in the U.S.
Political debate
•ESSA – Every Student Succeeds Act
•School choice
•Private school vouchers
Sources of funding
•Federal
•State
•Local school district
•Private funds
•Schools receive a combination of funds