Education in the USA

The education in the USA is a national concern, it means that it's very important. There's federal Department of Education. It donates money and it works as a resource, it means that it gets information and provides it to schools. But education is state responsibility. Each state decides on a system and certification of the teachers. The state divides it's area into school districts. In the US we can find 16 000 district. Education has local function because there're school boards in each district formed by elected citizens and the boards decide on curriculum and fund schools.

Education is compulsory from the age of 5 and it lasts for 13 years. Students finish at the age of 17 or 18. The state provides 13 years of free education to everyone, regardless of creed, color or class.
• K-grade - Kindergarten - it's a preparation for elementary school, children learn alfhabet.
• Elementary school - lasts 6 years and to each year we refer as a grade (from the 1st to the 6th grade). Children learn reading, writing and basic maths.
• Junior high school - (grades 7-8) - pupils have wider range of subjects
• Senior high school - (grades 9-12) - at one school there're many elective subject so that students can choose between compehensive education (provides academic education) and vocational courses (more practical).

Private schools (public) are often run by donors and many of them are parochial schools. They are expensive, select their students and school size and class size is limited.

State schools ( public schools) are funded of property taxes. They have many pupils at class and standards are quite low. They are funded of property taxes so the schools in poor area don't provide the same quality of education as schools in rich areas. Students of the state schools don't have to buy their own pens and exercise books. Books are loaned to them for the period of time required.

School in America normally begins at 8:30 or 9:00 and finishes at 3:30. Students in many schools are required to salute the flag before the lessons start. They stand up and put their right hand over their heart and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
The school week lasts from Monday to Friday.
Students must follow certain rules during school hours. Pupils who break the rules are punished by the teachers and in serious cases, they're sent to the headteacher. During breaktime, the corridors are supervised by teachers. Both minor and serious offences must be punished. Offence can be arriving late, not doing homework, cheating, playing truancy, smoking, fighting, stealing, bullying or drug possession.
• Corporal punishments are forbidden.
• Pupils can be in detention and do standards.
• They can also be on report - the pupil gives a report card to the teacher and he or she describes how the pupil behaved. It's then considered by pupil's form tutor or even headteacher.
• In case of serious effences, pupils may be temporary suspended from school and parents of him or her are invited to school for a serious talk., or even suspended (he has to choose another school).