Archived: The Educational System in the United States: Case Study Findings

Structure of the United States School
System
The United States public schools are divided into elementary and secondary edu-
cation, with a number of variations in how this division is configured, typically
decided at the local level. One of three common patterns prevails in most commu-
nities:
•
Elementary school (K–5), middle school (6–8), high school (9–12);
•
Elementary school (K–6), junior high school (7–9), high school (9–12); and
•
Elementary school (K–8), high school (9–12).
There are many other subtle variations on these patterns throughout the country,
and decisions about the structure may have a strong pedagogical rationale or may
be the consequence of differences in funding, demographics, and physical re-
sources. The current trend is toward the first pattern, with the recognition of
early adolescence as a period requiring a form of schooling distinct from that of
older adolescents. In the United States, elementary students are typically in one
classroom with the same teacher most of the day, perhaps seeing other teachers
for special classes, such as art and music, while high school students move from
class to class each period, with new teachers and a new mix of students in each
of the classes. Junior high schools mimic the high school pattern, while middle
schools generally offer a means for students to ease into this system, usually with
students moving as a group to teachers who work as a team, serving the same
block of students within the school.

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All children in the United States have access to free public schools and, in most
states, are required to attend school until the age of 16. Most students attend pub-
lic schools, but private schools, both religious and nonsectarian, are also available.
Students must pay tuition to attend a private school. On average, the school year
is about 180 days, and the school day averages 6.5 hours.