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Education in the United States is highly decentralised with funding and curriculum decisions taking place mostly at the local level through school boards. Educational standards are generally set by state agencies. The federal government of the United States through the U.S. Department of Education is involved with funding of some programs and exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. Accreditation of schools is accomplished by voluntary regional associations of educational institutions. There are also non-entreprenurial schools that are are private.Schools in the 50 states primarily teach in English, while schools in the territory of Puerto Rico teach in Spanish.
1 School Grades
Primary education and secondary education in the United States together are sometimes referred to as K–12 (kindergarten through twelfth grade). It should be noted that practice can vary from this general picture. Education is compulsory in all states from kindergarten to 12th grade.
1.1 Level / Grade, Age (Years old)
- Pre-School, Nursery School, or Head Start; Under 5
- Elementary School In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, Elementary School or Grammar School included grades one through eight, high school included grades nine through twelve.
- KindergartenIn the United States and Germany, kindergarten ( German for garden of children refers to the first level of a child's formal education. American kindergartens is usually administered in an elementary school as part of the K-12 educational system. Kinderga, 5–6
- 1st GradeFirst grade is a year of education in the United States and other countries immediately following kindergarten. Students are 6-7 years old and it is a part of elementary school In mathematics students learn primarily about addition and subtraction of whol, 6–7
- 2nd GradeSecond grade is a year of education in the United States and other countries two years after kindergarten, (usually 7-8 years old and a part of elementary school. In the United States, in mathematics, students are taught place value to hundreds or thousan, 7–8
- 3rd GradeThird grade is a year of education in the United States and other countries three years after kindergarten, (usually 8-9 years old. It is usually a part of elementary school. In the United States, in mathematics, students are usually introduced to multipl, 8–9
- 4th GradeFourth grade is a year of education in the United States and other countries four years after kindergarten (usually 9-10 years old. It is a part of elementary school. In the United States, in mathematics, fourth graders are usually taught how to add and s, 9–10 (Sometimes, grades 4–6 are termed Intermediate School, though this name is decreasing in popularity.)
- 5th GradeIn North American education, fifth grade (aka "5th grade" or "grade 5") is the name given to the fifth year of elementary school following kindergarten. In some areas in the United States it is also the last year of elementary school; in Canada and other, 10–11 (not always. Some Middle Schools include 5th grade as their lowest grade.)
- Middle schoolMiddle school and junior high school cover a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education and serve as a bridge between them. The terms are used in different ways in different countries. In Japan, junior high schools are ca (also called Junior High School, especially if it covers grades 7 through 9)
- 6th Grade, 11–12 (not always. Some Elementary Schools include 6th grade as their highest grade and maby middle schools include 6th grade as their lowest grade.)
- 7th Grade, 12–13
- 8th Grade, 13–14
- High school
- 9th Grade (Freshman year), 14–15 (not always. Some Junior High schools include 9th grade as their highest grade, although this is less common than it used to be)
- 10th Grade (Sophomore year), 15–16
- 11th Grade (Junior year), 16–17
- 12th Grade (Senior year), 17–18
" Middle school" or "Junior high school" may refer to schools that begin in 7th grade and end in either 8th or 9th grade, where 6th grade is the final grade in elementary school, and in the case ending in 9th grade, only grades 10, 11, and 12 are in high school. The term "junior high school" and the arrangement beginning with 7th grade is now much less common.
In most districts, K–6 education provides a common daily routine for all students except the most retarded and most gifted. Middle school or junior high is when students first encounter the elective system and have to design their own class schedules.
" High school" runs from grades 9 through 12.
Some school districts deviate from this formula. They can assign kindergarten through 4 as elementary, 5 through 6 or 5 through 7 as intermediate, 7 through 8 or 8 through 9 as middle, and 9 through 12 or 10 through 12 as high. Also, some schools segregate 9th graders from other high school pupils, or they separate 9th graders and 10th graders from 11th graders and 12th graders.
During their junior year (grade 11), students are expected to take the SAT so that their score will be available when they apply for college admission during their senior year (grade 12).
If funds are available, a high school may provide Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses. Most postsecondary institutions take AP or IB exam results into consideration in the admissions process. Because AP and IB courses are supposed to be the equivalent of freshman year college courses, postsecondary institutions may grant unit credit which enables students to graduate early. Both public schools and private schools in wealthy neighborhoods are able to provide many more AP and IB course options than impoverished inner-city high schools, and this difference is seen as a major cause of the differing outcomes for their graduates.
- College or University, also known as postsecondary education. Undergraduate grades are also called Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years.
- Undergraduate
- College or university
- Four years leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, or sometimes another bachelor's degree such as Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).
- Community college
- Lower division, two years leading to an Associate of Arts (AA) degree. Some state community college systems only offer a lower division program. Those seeking to continue their education must transfer to a four-year college or university.
- Upper division, two years leading to BA, BS, or sometimes, other bachelor's degree such as BT (Bachelor of Technology).
- Postgraduate
- One to three years leading to a Master's Degree (MA), Master of Science (MS), or sometimes other Master's degree such as Master of Education (MEd) or Master of Fine Arts (MFA).
- Three or more years after the completion of a Master's degree, leading to a Doctor of Philosophy ( PhD) or other doctoral degree, such as Doctor of Arts, Doctor of Education or Doctor of Theology . See doctorate.
- A first-professional doctorate such as Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy and Juris Doctor (law degree). See doctorate.
- Some programs like medicine have formal apprenticeship-like procedures like residency and internship which must be completed after graduation, before one is considered to be fully trained. Other professional programs like law and business have no formal apprenticeship requirements after graduation (although law school graduates must take the bar exam).
It should be noted that entrance into postgraduate programs usually depends upon a student's undergraduate academic performance as well as their score on a standardized entrance exam like the GRE (graduate schools in general), the LSAT (law), the GMAT (business), or the MCAT (medicine). Many graduate schools and law schools do not care whether a student is coming directly after earning their bachelor's degree, while business schools like to see several years of real-world work experience first.
