The United States of America is a confederation of states, each with considerable autonomy. Responsibility for education is devolved to the state/district level. However, on a national level, the United States Congress has enacted several pieces of legislation affecting states, communities and schools. The main piece of education legislation - the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is re-authorised every five years or so, under a specific title. In addition, there are national education reform strategies which are signed into law. These include President George W Bush's 2002 No Child Left Behind Act.
Education structure is determined at both the state and local levels. That is, responsibility for education is exercised by the legislatures of each of the 50 states and, within the individual states, the operation of public schools is managed by some 16,000 local districts. States formulate policies on the allocation of funds, the certification of teachers, textbooks and library services, and the provision of records and statistics; some states also specify curricula. District school boards collect taxes, construct buildings and have traditionally purchased equipment, determined instruction policy and employed teachers and other staff.
Non-state education is of two basic types, church-sponsored and independently operated. As publicly-funded sectarian religious instruction is prohibited under the Constitution, some schools and colleges are established and funded by religious groups, mainly Roman Catholic.
States have a right to regulate private schools, although this right to regulate is not without limitations. Since 80 per cent of the USA's private schools are religious institutions, any regulation of these schools must conform with the First Amendment's guarantee of the free exercise of religion. There are five general areas of regulation of private schools normally advanced by state legislatures. These are: record-keeping and reports; licensing/registration/accreditation; health and safety; curriculum; and public funding.
Curriculum requirements for private schools are generally broad, referring only to "the subjects usually taught in the public school", or itemising basic subject areas such as reading, writing, English, arithmetic and history.
Fees plus private donations support private schools for the compulsory age group. Private sector institutions of post-compulsory education may receive subsidies from the public sector. Student fees in such institutions are generally much higher than in public sector ones. Secondary school students and those in post-compulsory education may receive means-tested aid; those in higher education may receive loans from various sources, repayable when a student enters employment.
English is the official language of instruction, although more than six million of the approximately 45 million school-aged children speak a language other than English at home. Spanish is spoken by a sizeable minority of the population.
Education is compulsory in all 50 states of the United States of America, usually from the age of around 6 to 16. It generally begins with a (pre-compulsory) kindergarten year, prior to compulsory education starting in Grade 1 (or first Grade) and continuing through to around Grade 12. Most children enrol in kindergarten at around age 5 and the typical age for Grade 12 graduation is 18.
The final years of education necessary for graduation are provided in high school, usually including Grades 10-12 (students aged 15+-18) or Grades 9-12 (students aged 14+-18). All of these Grades are not usually compulsory, although this depends on the jurisdiction (see below).
The first phase in the education system in the USA is pre-compulsory (pre-kindergarten and kindergarten) education which generally caters for those aged 3 - 5/6. In most states, the curriculum for the kindergarten year (the year immediately prior to the commencement of compulsory education, children usually aged 5-6) is part of the overall framework for the curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 12 (children aged 5+ to 17/18).
Compulsory education ends by law at age 16 in 30 states, at age 17 in nine states, and at age 18 in 11 states. Students may leave school if they have reached the set age for the end of compulsory education, but they are not considered to have completed school and do not receive any certificate or award. If students complete their education (Grade 12 – age 18) they receive their High School Diploma, which shows they have successfully graduated from secondary school.
Over 60 per cent of graduating secondary school students enrol in some form of post-secondary education each year.
In order to accommodate children with special needs in the mainstream classroom, statutory curricula (and associated assessment) in the individual states in the USA can apply to children with special educational needs, and can also be modified to suit a student's particular needs.
Although decisions about school schedules across the United States are generally left to local boards, every state has a minimum school year requirement, generally expressed in days. A common standard is 180 days of school each year. A five-day week is usual (Monday to Friday), with a school day of five to seven hours and a short break for lunch.
Individual states have the right to establish and regulate the length of the school term. Consequently organisation of the school year can vary considerably from state to state. However, most states operate the traditional school year, running generally from September to June, and consisting of three 12-week terms, with two or more weeks' break at Christmas and in the spring, and 10-11 weeks in the summer. There are usually no mid-term breaks, other than days for national holidays. Some systems also have a voluntary summer school.
Most states have common guidelines for a core curriculum which generally includes the language arts (English/literacy), mathematics, social studies (which can include history, geography, literature, multiculturalism, ethics and values, religion, contemporary issues), science, health, music, art and physical education (PE).
There is no officially recognised state religion and, in accordance with the right of freedom of belief enshrined in the Constitution, no particular religion may be taught in publicly-funded schools. Students are, however, expected to understand the centrality of religion in the lives of many Americans and the ways in which religious beliefs can shape the political and social views of many citizens. This would usually be taught in social studies (see below).
Denominational private schools may teach religion.
Social studies is a compulsory curriculum subject and can include history, geography, literature, multiculturalism, ethics and values, and contemporary issues. Some students also receive an introduction to the world of work, through programmes that promote career awareness.
Approximately half of the states recommend textbooks at state level after some process of review against curriculum guidelines. The textbooks are usually commercially produced and are provided free of charge to most students in most states.
Many states operate state assessment programmes (especially for diagnostic purposes) or participate in periodic large scale national assessments, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading, writing, science and mathematics.
Since the start of the 2002-03 school year, schools have been expected to administer tests in reading and mathematics in three Grade spans – Grades 3-5, Grades 6-9 and Grades 10-12. The No Child Left Behind Act is introducing statutory annual testing of students throughout the USA in Grades 3-8 (ages 8-14) in English (reading) and mathematics from 2005-06. It is expected that, from 2007-08, this statutory annual testing will also apply to science.
There are national tests during senior high school education. Participation is voluntary and the types of test available include Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs), American College Testing (ACT) and Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, which all assess students’ suitability for admission to higher education.
Students who successfully complete senior high school (Grade 12 - age 18) receive a High School Diploma. High School Diplomas represent a variety of different curricula and standards. The senior high school completion rate is 92.6 per cent of those who enrol at secondary level.
In addition, some private schools and school districts award certificates at primary level to students who complete elementary school or middle school, although this practice is not uniform across the country.
There is no single path to becoming a teacher in the United States, although the majority of teachers attend training programmes in large universities. These typically last for four years, result in a bachelor’s degree and aim to prepare candidates for teacher certification. Some teaching programmes provide a combined bachelor’s degree with a master’s degree in education by adding a fifth year to the undergraduate course of study, while graduate programmes for teaching typically last up to two years. Virtually all programmes require teaching practice.
Most states require teacher training institutions to earn accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or to have adopted NCATE’s standards for state approval of teacher training programmes.
The USA is a confederation of states, each with considerable autonomy. Responsibility for education is devolved to the state/district level. However, on a national level, the United States Congress has enacted several pieces of legislation affecting states, communities and schools. The main piece of education legislation - the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is re-authorised every five years or so, under a specific title. In addition, there are national education reform strategies which are signed into law. These include President George W Bush's 2002 No Child Left Behind Act.
Kentucky's education system was completely reformed through the adoption of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 1990. KERA addressed teaching, learning, standards, and assessment; opportunity to learn strategies and standards; governance, accountability, and management; parental and community support and involvement; making improvement systemwide; promoting "bottom-up" reform; dropout strategies; academic and vocational instruction; coordination with school-to-work programmes; benchmarks and timelines; and programme improvement and accountability.
Non-state education is of two basic types, church-sponsored and independently operated. As publicly-funded sectarian religious instruction is prohibited under the Constitution, some schools and colleges are established and funded by religious groups, mainly Roman Catholic.
States have a right to regulate private schools. There are five general areas of regulation of private schools normally advanced by state legislatures. These are: record-keeping and reports; licensing/registration/accreditation; health and safety; curriculum; and public funding.
Curriculum requirements for private schools are generally broad, referring only to "the subjects usually taught in the public school", or itemising basic subject areas such as reading, writing, English, arithmetic and history.
Fees plus private donations support private schools for the compulsory age group. Private sector institutions of post-compulsory education may receive subsidies from the public sector. Student fees in such institutions are generally much higher than in public sector ones. Secondary school students and those in post-compulsory education may receive means-tested aid; those in higher education may receive loans from various sources, repayable when a student enters employment.
Kentucky State law requires that instruction should be offered in English.
Education is compulsory in all 50 states, usually from the age of around 6 to 16. Public schooling generally begins with a (pre-compulsory) kindergarten year, prior to compulsory education starting in Grade 1 (or first Grade) and continuing through to around Grade 12. Most children enrol in kindergarten at around age 5 and the typical age for Grade 12 graduation is 18.
Kentucky's compulsory attendance laws require that every child between the ages of 6 and 16 should be enrolled in school. There are, however, provisions to exempt children from attending public school if they are enrolled and regularly attending a private (home), parochial or church regular day school. Home schools are considered to be private schools in Kentucky, and the laws relating to private schools apply equally to home schools.
Elementary education in Kentucky extends from kindergarten grade to Grade 8 (children aged 5+ to 14), but is usually divided into primary, intermediate and middle level programmes:
Primary level programmes serve children from the time they enter elementary school (usually in the voluntary kindergarten year, age 5+, or at age 6 in Grade 1) until they enter Grade 4 (age 9+)
Intermediate level education provides for children in Grades 4 and 5 (aged 9+-11)
Middle level programmes are for children in Grades 6-8 (aged 11+ to 14).
The final years of education necessary for graduation are provided in high school, usually including Grades 10-12 (students aged 15+-18) or Grades 9-12 (students aged 14+-18). Not all of these Grades are compulsory. In Kentucky, Grade 11 and 12 education is non-compulsory.
The first phase in the education system in the USA is pre-compulsory (pre-kindergarten and kindergarten) education which generally caters for those aged 3 - 5/6. In most states the curriculum for the kindergarten year (the year immediately prior to the commencement of compulsory education, children usually aged 5-6) is part of the overall framework for the curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 12 (children aged 5+ to 17/18).
In Kentucky, curriculum decisions are made by the school council, and activities for pre-kindergarten children aged 3 to 4+ should align with the curriculum for primary level students (kindergarten to Grade 3 in Kentucky, aged 5+ to 8/9). The state does not specify any one curriculum but encourages local districts to consider utilising multiple sources of guidance to assist in designing a pre-kindergarten curriculum.
In Kentucky, although education is only compulsory until completion of Grade 10 (aged around 16), students between the ages of 16 and 18 who wish to terminate their education prior to graduating from high school may only do so after a conference with the principal. The student's parent or guardian must usually be involved in this meeting.
The "required content areas" (subject areas) throughout this period are: arts and humanities, English/language arts, health education, mathematics, physical education, science, and social studies.
In accordance with the (national) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), wherever possible, students requiring special education are catered for in mainstream publicly-funded education in their local school district, in educational settings with their peers. Students with more severe needs may be placed in self-contained classrooms or special programmes within a mainstream school for all or part of the day, or may be in special schools. State-funded education is provided for all students with special needs until they reach age 21.
In order to accommodate children with special needs in the mainstream classroom, statutory curricula (and associated assessment arrangements) can apply to children with special educational needs, or can be modified to suit a student's particular needs.
Although decisions about school schedules across the United States are generally left to local boards, every state has a minimum school year requirement, generally expressed in days. A common standard is 180 days of school per year. A five-day week is usual (Monday to Friday), with a school day of five to seven hours and a short break for lunch.
Individual states also establish and regulate the length of the school term. Consequently organisation of the school year can vary considerably from state to state. However, most states operate the traditional school year, running generally from September to June, and consisting of three 12-week terms, with two or more weeks' break at Christmas and in the spring, and 10/11 weeks in the summer. There are usually no mid-term breaks, other than days for national holidays.
The "required content areas" (subject areas) in compulsory education in Kentucky are: arts and humanities; English/language arts; health education; mathematics; physical education; science; and social studies. Technology education is also generally included in the curriculum and a foreign language is commonly offered as an optional subject. In high school education, driver and traffic safety education, a foreign language, military science, and vocational education are most commonly offered as optional subjects.
There is no officially recognised state religion and, in accordance with the right of freedom of belief enshrined in the Constitution, no particular religion may be taught in publicly-funded schools. Students are, however, expected to understand the centrality of religion in the lives of many Americans and the ways in which religious beliefs can shape the political and social views of many citizens. This would usually be taught in social studies (see below).
Denominational private schools may teach religion.
Social studies is a compulsory curriculum subject and can include history, geography, literature, multiculturalism, ethics and values, and contemporary issues. Some students also receive an introduction to the world of work through programmes that promote career awareness.
Textbooks for students in elementary education in Kentucky (Grades 1-8, aged 6+ to 14) are usually provided free of charge.
The Department of Education publishes a “State Multiple List”. This is a list of state-recommended textbooks and printed and electronic instructional materials, which is developed based on the recommendations of a state-wide review team comprising parents and educators.
Each school has the responsibility for reviewing and selecting instructional resources; this is often handled through a school committee. Members can include teachers, parents, students and administrators.
An integrated testing and accountability programme, the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System (CATS), is closely linked to the Kentucky core curriculum. CATS includes:
The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS/5 test): a multiple-choice test in reading, language arts and mathematics in Grades 3, 6 and 9
Kentucky Core Contents Tests: a mixture of multiple-choice and open response questions in reading, science, mathematics, social studies, arts and humanities, and practical living/vocational studies for students in Grades 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12A writing portfolio: a collection of a student's best work from various subjects over time (Grades 4, 7 and 12)
Writing prompts: writing tests that measure skills gathered from writing instruction
An alternate portfolio: an assessment portfolio of student work for students with moderate to severe special needs.
Results of the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS/5) assessment (see above) are published by district and school. Parents also receive individual student reports detailing their child's performance in the Kentucky Core Content Tests and the CTBS/5 assessment.
To graduate from high school in Kentucky, students are usually required to achieve a minimum number of credits in the compulsory required content areas, along with a minimum number of credits in elective subjects. Local school boards may state additional graduation requirements beyond the state's minimum requirements.
There is no single path to becoming a teacher in the United States, although the majority of teachers attend training programmes in universities. These typically last for four years, result in a first degree and prepare candidates for teacher certification. Some teaching programmes provide a combined bachelor’s degree with a master’s degree in education by adding a fifth year to the undergraduate course of study, while graduate programmes for teaching typically last up to two years. Virtually all programmes require teaching practice. Most states require teacher training institutions to earn accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or to have adopted NCATE’s standards for teacher training programmes.
In Kentucky, the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) is the standards and accreditation agency for Kentucky teachers and for programmes of education at Kentucky colleges and universities. It ensures the quality of teacher training programmes in Kentucky’s 29 teacher training institutions and has adopted the NCATE standards. The EPSB also offers various alternative routes to certification, including options for veterans, career switchers with baccalaureate degrees, and candidates with exceptional work experience.