EDUCATION IN THE
U.S.
Lecturer: Ly Thi Hoang Men
CONTENT
History and development
System of education
Education philosophy
Achievements
Challenges
Beliefs and values in education
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
1642: first steps toward establishing a system of
public school in Massachusetts
1647: Mass. passed law required every town to
provide children with schools and schoolmasters
Next 40 years: all colonies followed Mass.
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
End of 17th century: citizens of English Colonies were to
be educated; children to be prepared for conducting
political, economic, and religious affairs of colonies.
After American independence in 1783: education
developed rapidly (school districts, well-equipped schools,
professional educators and educational administrators)
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
1787: Northwest Ordinance mandated each township in
Northwest Territory to reserve at least a mile square for
educational purpose and required each state to establish
public higher education institutions.
Thomas Jefferson(1801-09) urged Virginia law makers to
implement the plan for “More General Diffusion of
Knowledge”.
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
After 1860s: education became compulsory
1870: 6.5 mill. 5-16 year olds in public schools (57%
school-age children and youths)
1880: 15.5 mill. (72% school-age children and youths)
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
Early 20th century: teaching transformed into
“women’s profession” and fundamental assumptions
about American education system shaped (how schools
are organized, who they serve, how they are staffed)
HISTORY AND
DEVELOPMENT
College & university enrollment (in million)
1940 1946 1961 1969 1974 1979 1989 2003
1.5 2.0 4.0 8.0 10.0 11.6 13.5 17.5
SY STEM OF EDUCATION
Postgraduate Studies Doctor’s Degree
Graduate Studies Master’s Degree
Undergraduate Studies Bachelor’s Degree
Senior High School Grades 9 – 12
Junior High School Grades 6 – 8
Elementary School Grades 1 – 5
Kindergarten 4 – 5 years old
Nursery School 2 -3 years old
STRUCTURE
Education is divided into 3 stages:
- Elementary education
- Secondary education
- Higher education
Elementary and Secondary education is compulsory
STRUCTURE
Elementary and Secondary education is free at public
schools.
Higher education requires tuition fee.
Education has two sectors: public and private
Public school systems are supported by a
combination of local, state, and federal government
funding.
STRUCTURE
Curriculum decisions in public schools are made
largely at the local and state levels by local board of
education.
All public school systems are required to provide an
education free of charge to everyone of school age in
their districts (85% children)
STRUCTURE
Private schools may be of 2 kinds
- institutions privately owned and operated
- institutions run by religious organization
At private schools, children have to pay for education but
charge rates vary depending on geographic location, the
school's expenses, and the availability of funding from
sources other than tuition.
STRUCTURE
Private schools cater for different needs:
- college-bound students
- gifted students
- students with learning disabilities or other special
needs
- students with specific religious affiliations.
STRUCTURE
Higher education refers to undergraduate and
graduate studies.
Undergraduate studies commonly consists of four
years of study leading to a Bachelor’s degree
STRUCTURE
H.E. institutions:
- Community College (Junior College)
- Liberal Arts College
- University
- Professional School
- Institute of Technology and Technical School
STRUCTURE
Admissions criteria for undergraduate studies at college or
university are:
- Rigorous curriculum in high school
- Students’ GPA
- Class ranking
- Standardized test scores (Such as the SAT or the ACT tests).
- Essay
- Other achievements
- Interview
STRUCTURE
Graduate studies are conducted after obtaining an
initial degree and sometimes after several years of
professional work leading to a more advanced degree
such as a Master's degree or a Doctor’s degree (Ph.D. or
others).
STRUCTURE
Entrance into graduate programs usually depends
on:
- Student's undergraduate academic performance
- Professional experience
- Standardized test scores: GRE(general),
GMAT(business), LSAT(law), MCAT (medicine)
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
Education is universal
Education is decentralized
Education is comprehensive
Education is professional
Education pays attention to both intellectual development and
character building
Education is of practical value
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
Education system is universal: Children within an age range have
right to education services which are supported by public taxation.
Education system is decentralized: No federal authority to
organize and oversee a national education system with a uniform
curriculum requirements or uniform standards for both teacher and
student qualifications. Funding and administration are
responsibilities of local or state governments.
EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY
Education is comprehensive: Schools offer a variety of options
that reflect the diversity of interests and abilities of students.
Education is professional: Education is managed and serviced
by professional educators and administrators
Education pays attention to both intellectual development and
character building: Beside rigorous academic curriculum are many
extracurricular activities.
Education is of practical value
ACHIEVEMENTS
Providing education for great proportion of population (1940:
38% 25-29 year olds got H.S. diploma & 6% got coll. Degree
compared with 1985: 86% 25-29 year olds got H.S. diploma & 22%
got coll. Degree)
Producing proportionately more college students than any
industrial nations (1981: 32% had college education; Canada:
17.2%; Sweden: 15.5%; Japan: 14.5%)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Assuring high quality education: Prestigious universities, Nobel
prize holders and leading scientists, highly qualified labor force,
international students
Offering equal opportunity for education to all citizens including
the under-privileged (2003 literacy rate: 97% & 95% 14-17 year olds
attend H.S.)
Minimizing discrimination: Affirmative action; federal funding;
accommodation of handicapped students
CHALLENGES
Conflicts about bilingual and multicultural
education.
Inequality (rich vs. poor areas)
Existence of racial discrimination
Decline in quality in elementary and secondary
education (1983 report – A Nation at Risk)
CHALLENGES
Shortage of teaching staff esp. math and
science teachers
Drop-out rates esp. among minority students
Violence and other negative practices
BELIEFS & VALUES IN
EDUCATION
Education forms the foundation of democracy
Education is the means by which the values of equality
of opportunity and competition are exercised
Education promotes individual freedom and self-reliance
BELIEFS & VALUES IN
EDUCATION
Education realizes the values of material wealth and hard work
Education helps to fulfill American Dream
Education forms the foundation of democracy: educated
citizens are able to govern the country and protect democracy.
BELIEFS & VALUES IN
EDUCATION
Education is the means by which the values of equality of opportunity and
competition are exercised:
- Public school system: open to all; tax-supported.
- Education ladder: climb as high as one can
Education promotes individual freedom and self-reliance:
- encourages and helps students to reach their maximum potential
- motivates people to seek higher status
- develops students’ critical thinking skills and other personal and
social skills
BELIEFS & VALUES IN
EDUCATION
Education realizes the values of material wealth and
hard work.
Education helps to fulfill American Dream: become
rich and powerful with high education.
