U.S Education System: A Walkthrough

The American education system is different compared to other countries. Education is primarily the responsibility of state and local government and having no set norms in the curriculum the system is free willed. The individual states have great control over what is taught in their schools but the schools have the freedom to set their own parameters for students. The preference in States is given to public schools. 

Structure Of  the U.S Education System

The education system is divided into three broad levels elementary/primary education, secondary education, and postsecondary/highereducation (college or university). 

American Education system is freer and doesn’t emphasize on marks and cramming as there is in many other countries. The American Education system can be well understood by explaining the structure in a detailed manner. In America some children below the age of 5 join kindergarten to learn some simple stuff. The real compulsory education starts after the kid joins a proper school. The school comprises of classes starting from post kindergarten to twelfth grade. Schooling is compulsory for all children in Unites States. The necessary attendance though varies from state to state. About 85% of American people prefer public schools mostly because of tax rebate. Schools are more free willed and plan their ways of educating the students. By this the students get an opportunity to learn and think their own way rather than following someone’s footsteps. 

Grade system is followed in US to provide a fair view. The grades start from A and goes up to F or E. The emphasis is more on debates, assignments, innovation etc. The co-curricular activities are equally emphasized. There are no marks struck performance barriers rather every individual is gauged on their innovativeness. They are allowed to make mistakes & flunk in experimenting new things. After successful completion of school many students continue to Higher education. In colleges graduation degrees are provided to students for successful completion of courses and in case a student completes 2 years of graduation she/he is provided with Associate Degree. Like high school, the four undergraduate grades are commonly called freshman, sophomore and junior and senior years (alternatively called first year, second year, etc.) .Universities are either public or privately owned. Further if a student continues to study they can opt for Maters course and in case of any specialization in a particular subject PHD is preferred. As compared to schooling system the master’s in America is highly progress oriented.

Obligation towards Special students

All students with special needs are entitled to a free and good education. Schools meet with the parents or guardians to work towards the child’s development and they even create an Individualized Education Program that determines best placement for the child. Students with such disability are given least restrictive environment (LRE) that is appropriate for the student's needs. Public schools hold the accountability for providing the best education to such kids and any leniency can be escalated further.

Brief Analysis

Rather than having an organized approach US Education system is following a outcome based education approach. The Education system in other countries is more systematized and progress oriented as compared to US Education system. Public school is unaware of what constitutes academic fulfillment. The schooling lays the base of a student and public school teachers fail to understand this point. National Center for Education Statistics determined that many secondary public school teachers admit their concern is not math, history, science or English but how to teach their limited knowledge of those subjects. Consequently, the DOE found half the nation’s 17-year-olds lack math skills commonly taught not in the 11th grade but in junior high school. So there is a desperate need for restructuring the education system in America so that the foundation is laid properly and in a more organized manner.

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