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To make sure all children are prepared to succeed, the U.S. provides free public education. This section tells you how to sign your children up for school. You will learn how U.S. schools work and how to help your children learn. |
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There are many places where you can learn how to speak, read, and write in English. Many children and adults enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. These classes help people who do not know English to learn the language. These classes are also called English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or English Literacy classes.
Children who do not know English will learn it in school. America 's public schools provide help and instruction for all students who need to learn English. Students who need extra help are often called Limited English Proficient (LEP) students.
Students just beginning to learn English may take an ESL class in place of a regular English class. Students with more English language skills may be placed in a regular classroom and given extra help. Some schools also offer after-school programs and tutoring to help students learn English. Your child's school will tell you what kind of help they give students who need to learn English. Adults who do not understand English can enroll in an ESL class offered in a public adult and community education program or private language school.
Public adult and community education programs are often offered in local communities by school districts and community colleges. These programs may provide ESL classes along with tutoring from local volunteers. These programs are often free, or you may pay a small fee. Classes may meet during day or evening hours. Call your local community college or school district office to find the nearest ESL program. Look in the blue pages of your phone book under the heading “Schools—Public.”
Most large cities also have private language schools that offer day or evening ESL classes. The cost for these classes is often based on the number of hours of instruction. Private language classes are generally more expensive than public classes. To find a private language school, look in the yellow pages of your telephone book under the heading “Language Schools.”
Some community organizations, libraries, and religious groups also offer free or low-cost ESL classes. Check with your local public library, social service agency, or place of worship. The reference librarian at the local library can also tell you about ESL programs and show you where to find ESL books, tapes, CDs, and computer software at the library. |
A small number of parents choose to teach their children at home. In order to do this, you must be using an accredited program, and supervised by an accredited teacher. Some school districts in very large cities have home school programs that oversee local parent who home school. |
There are usually private schools available in most communities. About 10 percent of the students in the United States attend a form of private school. These are not subsidized by tax dollars; instead the parents pay yearly tuition for their children. Private schools may be accredited or non- accredited by different certifying |
organizations, so it's important to check whether the teachers are accredited. Some private schools are "college prep" (preparatory) academies and almost all of the students that graduate go on to college. About 80% of all private schools will also have some affiliation with a religious denomination and will include some form of religious instruction as part of their curriculum. Others are military schools, and include some form of military training in their curriculum. |
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You may be interested in taking classes locally. Most communities have small two-year colleges which award an associate's degree (two year degree) to those who finish their course outlines for a subject. Most community colleges are less expensive than four-year colleges and Universities, and students often study their first two years at a community college, then transfer to a four-year University. If you plan to do this, it is important to check whether you will get credit at the four-year University that you plan to attend for the classes you take at the community college, since some courses may not transfer credit. |
| Learning does not have to end when you become an adult. In the U.S. , people are encouraged to become “lifelong learners.” If you are 16 years of age or older and have not completed high school, you can enroll in Adult Secondary Education (ASE) classes. These classes prepare you to earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. |
A GED certificate is an alternative high school diploma. It shows that you have learned high-school-level academic knowledge and skills. To earn a GED, you must take and pass tests in 5 different areas: reading, writing, social studies, science, and mathematics. Most U.S. employers consider a GED credential to be equal to a regular high school diploma. In many areas, GED preparation classes are free or low-cost. Look in the phone book under “Adult Education” or call your local school district office for information.
Many adults take classes to learn more about a subject that interests them or to learn new skills that can help them in their jobs. Many public school systems and local community colleges offer classes in a wide range of subjects for adults. Anyone can enroll in these classes, which generally have low fees. Check with your local school system or community college to find out what classes are available, how much they cost, and how to enroll.
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Education is important
Education is important to many people in the United States , and since the middle of the 1800's the U.S. have had free public education for those who live in this country. |
| This public education is funded and administered through taxes at the state and local level, but it is federally mandated.
Taking classes and furthering your education can be an important part of increasing your skills, knowledge, and marketability in the work arena. In the United States , the public education system offers plenty of excellent opportunities for both your children and you. The private, community, and state colleges and Universities offer a broad variety of choices for advanced education. |
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Educational System
In the United States , all children are legally required to attend school from the age of 6 until they are age 16 (or up to age 18 in some states) or they are considered truant. All communities |
| will have some form of public education that is subsidized by local taxes. There is no tuition or cost to attend, textbooks are provided, but parents are expected to provide notebooks, pencils, crayons, and other items that the child will use during the school year. Children in the United States usually begin attending school at age 5 by going to Kindergarten. Many schools have half-day programs for kindergarten or allow the children this age to go home earlier than the older students. |
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Elementary school
is grades one through five or six in most communities. The children then go to middle school ( junior high ) for grades 6-8 or 7-9 (this will vary from community to community). Senior high |
| school is grades 9-12 or 10-12 depending on the school. |
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The curriculum
in the public school system is determined by either a state committee that is funded through state funds, or by local school officials. Most school districts will have courses that include |
| reading, writing, English grammar, literature, math, science, history and social studies, geography, economics, civics (or government), computers and keyboarding, and physical education. Students are also allowed to choose electives, such as art, drama, computer science, home economics or other classes that they are interested in. |
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How long is the school year?
The school year usually begins in August or September and ends in May or June. In some places, children attend school all year. Children are in school Monday through Friday. Some |
| schools offer programs before or after regular school hours for children whose parents work. You may be charged a fee for these programs. |
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What documents do I need to enroll my child?
You need your child's medical records and proof that they have certain immunizations (also called “shots”) to protect them from disease. You also |
| may need proof that you live in the same community as the school. If you have lost these documents, ask school staff how to get new documents. To avoid delays, do this before you try to enroll your child. |
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What if my child does not speak English?
The school is responsible for testing and placing your child in the right program. Schools receive state and federal funds for programs and |
| services like English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education. You can call your child's school to ask about testing, placement, and services. Even if your child does not speak English, he or she needs to learn the academic material for his or her grade level. This can happen through ESL or bilingual education. |
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My child was not in school before coming to the United States . How long can he or she attend public school for free?
Your child can attend school for free until they reach age 21 in most states. |
| If your child has not graduated from high school by then, he or she can enroll in adult education classes to obtain a General Educational Development (GED) certificate instead of a high school diploma. Call your local school district office or your state department of education to find out where GED classes are offered. |
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What will my child eat at school?
Children can take lunch to school or buy it at the school cafeteria. The U.S. government also provides nutritious free or low-cost breakfast and lunch for children who cannot afford to buy food |
| at school. Call or visit your child's school to find out if it participates in the federal School Meals program. Talk with school staff to find out if your children are eligible to participate. |
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If you work and your children are too young to go to school, you may need to find someone to watch them while you are at work. Sometimes children in school need someone to watch them when school is over, if their parents |
| cannot be at home. If you or other family members are not able to watch your children, you need to find someone to take care of them. Do not leave young children at home alone. |
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Finding Childcare
Choosing someone to care for your children is an important decision. As you make this decision, think about the quality and cost of care. Try to find a caregiver who is close to your home or job. |
There are many resources you can use to find a good childcare provider. Ask other parents, friends, and coworkers who cares for their children. Some states have a childcare referral agency that can give you a list of state-licensed childcare programs. Licensed childcare programs meet specific requirements set by the state for the protection of your children. You also can call your local school district office to find places where other children in your neighborhood are cared for.
TIP: If you need help finding good childcare in your area, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a National Child Care Information Center . Call 1-800-616-2242 for information. You can also find information and answers to questions about how to choose a good program for your child at http://www.childcareaware.org . |
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You have a number of choices when choosing a childcare provider.
In-Home Care. A caregiver comes into your home to watch your children. This type of service can be expensive, because your child gets more individual |
attention. The quality of care depends on the person you hire.
Family Childcare. Your child is cared for in somebody else's home with a small group of other children. This can be less expensive than other types of childcare. The quality of care depends on the people who watch your child and the number of children they are caring for in their home.
Daycare Centers: Daycare centers are programs located in schools, churches or other faith-based organizations, and other places. Centers usually have several caregivers who watch larger groups of children. Centers must meet state standards and their staff usually have special training and experience.
Head Start Programs: The federal government provides funding for “Early Head Start” and “Head Start” programs for low-income families. These programs provide care and educational services to young children to get them ready for school. To learn more about these programs, call the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-866-763-6481 or visit the website http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/ .
Some childcare providers will take care of children for a full day or only part of the day, depending on the parents' needs. Cost is also a factor in choosing a caregiver. Check to see if you are eligible for federal or state childcare assistance. Many states offer financial assistance to
low-income parents who are working or participating in job training or education programs. |
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Prograns
Many high schools have special vocational programs that will allow the older student to begin studying for and practicing a career choice if they do not plan to go on to college after |
| graduation from high school. Students who plan to go to college will often take college preparatory courses which will include advanced math, advanced English, Science, or in some schools, Advanced Placement classes. Most middle schools and high schools also offer enrichment classes such as music, art, drama, or an athletics program for the students. |
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Adult
Many school systems have community education programs that are very inexpensive or even free to local residents. These programs are usually sponsored through the local school |
| district, and can include classes such as art, crafts, the Internet, sports, or ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for adults. They may also have special classes for children during the summer, or enrichment camps. |
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Most public schools in the United States are co-educational. Co-educational means that girls and boys attend classes together. The United States has compulsory school attendance laws. This means that state laws require all children ages 5 to 16 to attend school in most states. Check with your state department of education to find out the required ages for school attendance in your state.
You can send your child to a public or private school. In most states, parents may also teach |
their children at home. This is called “home schooling.” Public schools are free and do not offer religious instruction. What your children learn in public school is set by the state. However, local teachers and parents decide how it is taught. Your federal and state income taxes and your local property taxes pay for these schools.
Students must pay a fee (called “tuition”) to attend private schools. Religious groups run many private schools. Some are co-educational. Some are only for boys or only for girls. Some offer financial help for students who cannot pay the tuition.
Most American children are in school for 12 years. Your children will be placed in a class (called a “grade”) based on their age and how much previous education they have. Sometimes a school may give your child a test to decide what grade he or she should be in.
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Children learn better when they are well fed. To improve learning, the United States government provides healthy low-cost or free meals to more than 26 million children each school day. Participation in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program is based on family income and size. The Special Milk Program provides milk to children who do not participate in other federal school meals programs. For more information about these programs, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture website at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/ .
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Young adults can continue their education in a 2-year community or technical college or a 4-year college or university after high school. These are called “postsecondary institutions” or “institutions of higher education.” There are public and private institutions of higher education. |
Public colleges and universities cost less than private ones, especially for residents of the state where the college or university is located. Young adults can also choose to attend schools to learn specific jobs, such as repairing computers or being a healthcare assistant.
Students in higher education choose a specific subject to study in depth (this subject is called their “major”). Choosing a major helps prepare them for employment or further education in that field.
A college or university education can be expensive. Some schools provide financial help called “scholarships.” The U.S. government also provides financial aid for students. Most students take out a loan or apply for financial aid or scholarships to help pay for their schooling. |
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Before entering college, students here take a special test called the SAT (Standardized Achievement Test) which shows how well they score in subjects such as English reading and comprehension, vocabulary, and math. Colleges often look closely at these scores, as well as the student's overall |
grade point average in high school, to determine whether they will accept them. You can find out more about SATs and how to apply for them at the College Board Online at http://www.collegeboard.com/ .
Students often apply the fall or spring of their senior year to different colleges, sending in a copy of their school transcripts and their SAT scores with the application, and wait to see which ones will accept them.
If you want to go to graduate school, you should take a special test first called the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). This is an extensive test of your math and verbal skills, as well as reasoning skills in the general test. There are special subject areas that may be tested (such as biochemistry, computer science, or English literature) in the GRE subject tests. If you want a post-graduate education, your GRE scores, along with your college transcripts, will be used to help determine your suitability for a college and its graduate program.
Many people study for their GREs by taking special study classes, and/or buying practice books. You can find out more about GREs at www.gre.org/. |
Some job fields require a University degree, such as law, medicine, engineering, or education; other fields give preferred advancement to individuals with a degree, making a college education a valuable asset. In the United States , a large number of those who want to enter professional disciplines choose to go to college or to a University, and our country has one of the highest rates of college students in its population in the industrialized world. |
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Normally, a college is a smaller four-year school that will award a degree in a special discipline. For example, a liberal arts college might offer classes in Literature, Languages, Art, and Philosophy while a business college would offer classes in finance, accounting, administration, and other business degree related courses. |
Universities are four-year institutions that may include several colleges within itself and one or more graduate schools. But most Americans use the term "college" interchangeably with "University". Each state also has a state University, and many, such as California , have a network of state Universities such as UCLA (University of California , Los Angeles ), UCSD ( U. of Cal. San Diego ); UCSF (U. of Cal. San Francisco ) and others.
There are several excellent sites online that will allow you to look up information about individual colleges and Universities. One is at Yahoo! at http://education.yahoo.com/ . If you enter the name of the college you want to know more about, their search engine will look it up for you. You can also go directly to http://www.petersons.com/ ( Petersons online ) and look up information about colleges and graduate programs in the United States . Just click on their "search" function, fill in the name of the school you are investigating, and it will tell you what you are looking for.
Often the more prestigious the University or college, and the more rigorous the academic requirements, the better the chance of having offers in your chosen field of employment after graduation. Some schools are known for being excellent in a certain area (such as NYU in writing and liberal arts, or Wharton Business School for business), and will increase the graduate's prospects in their chosen field after graduation.
You can learn how various colleges and Universities are ranked by asking different people within a profession, talking to teachers and friends, and researching yourself. |
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Major
Once you are enrolled in a college or University, you will be asked to select a major. A major is a focus of study meant to prepare you to enter a certain field or discipline. For instance, |
a graphic design major would first take lower level courses that are required for any degree: some math, English, and language credits, as well as science, to meet graduation requirements. They would also take courses related to their degree, such as design, computer science, adobe illustrator, and others.
In order to graduate, the student must complete all of the basic requirements, and obtain a certain number of credits with a passing grade in their chosen major (for instance, the student may need to have a total of 126 credit hours to graduate at some Universities). Some students choose to also have a minor (a certain number of hours in a secondary field of study). For instance, chemistry major may decide to minor in French, and must pass a certain number of French courses to obtain the minor.
When a student graduates from a four-year college or University, they may receive a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, dependent on the major that they choose. |
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College can be quite expensive, and you may need help with paying for the courses (tuition), books, and living expenses. There are several excellent sites online that can help with information on financial aid and how to get it. One of the better ones is Petersons ( www.petersons.com ). |
One program, which the federal government has for those who need financial aid for college, is known as FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which has an online site at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ . This program, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, has opened the way for many to go to college who could not otherwise. You must fill out an application and mail it in (or fill it out online, using a PIN or Personal Identification Number). The application form is fairly extensive, and will ask about your finances, debts, and tax history in order to determine whether you meet their guidelines. |
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You must apply for the FAFSA to receive any type of federal student aid, and also to apply for many state student aid programs.You can also find out information about financial aid for college by going to the Department of Education site online at www.ed.gov |
| or by calling the Federal Student Aid Information center between 8 a.m. and midnight Eastern Time at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
Scholarships are also available to qualified students who meet the requirements. Often academic ability, certain talents or abilities, and/or demonstrated need are all considered when deciding who will receive a scholarship. Most high schools and colleges have financial aid offices that can also help you with finding out information about financial aid once you are accepted to their institution. Many of these have work-study programs that will allow you to work part-time and help pay for some of your expenses while you are in college. |
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