secondary education

Additional options in secondary education

Most high and middle schools have "honors" classes for motivated and gifted students, where the quality of education is higher and tougher.

Some states and cities offer special high schools with examinations to admit only the highest performing students. Other high schools provide the arts. Some schools have been set up for students who do not succeed with normal academic standards. Some have even been created for special social groups such as LGBT students who have special needs.

A high school may provide Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, which are special forms of honors classes. AP courses are taken during the second, third, or fourth years of high school, as a replacement for a typical third-year course or simply as a way to study something interesting during senior year. IB courses are taken as part of a larger program. They last two years and are taken in the final two years of high school. To obtain the IB Diploma, IB courses are taken as seven courses.

Most postsecondary institutions take AP or IB exam results into consideration in the admissions process. Because AP and IB courses are the equivalent of freshman year college courses, postsecondary institutions may grant unit credit which enables students to graduate early. Also, in states with well-developed college systems, there are mechanisms by which gifted students may search for permission from their school district to attend community college courses full-time during the summer, and during weekends and evenings during the school year. The units earned this way can often be transferred to one's university, and can facilitate early graduation.

Graduation examinations in secondary education

About two-thirds of the nation's public high school students are required to pass a graduation exam, usually at the 10th and higher grade levels. Most American high schools are comprehensive high schools which enroll all students in a local area, not considering ability or vocational or college marks.

The Business Roundtable has supported the goal of standards-based education to ensure that all students meet one single standard that will insure success in all careers and colleges. However, education progressives question whether such a goal is practical or realistic given the wide range of students’ abilities.

Secondary education – starting point to career education

Understanding of secondary education

Secondary education is the stage of education after primary school. Secondary education is the final stage of obligatory education. The next stage of education is college or university. Secondary education is characterized by evolution from the compulsory, complete primary education for minors to the optional, tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period may be termed secondary schools, high schools, gymnasia, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, vocational schools and preparatory schools.

As part of education in the United States, secondary education comprises grades 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 through 12. This depends on the school locality and how it is engaged. Grades 9 through 12 is the common grade organization for high school.

Secondary education - a gateway to the opportunities

Secondary education is a gateway to the opportunities and improvements of economic and social growth. Demand for access to higher levels of education is growing as countries approach universal primary education. Globalization and the increasing demand for a complex labor force, united with the growth economies gives a sense of urgency to the demand for secondary education.

In today’s world, secondary education has a very important mission being at the same time terminal and preparatory, compulsory and post-compulsory, uniform and diverse, general and vocational. Secondary education is now recognized as the foundation stone of educational systems. Brilliant secondary education is crucial in creating a clear future for individuals and nations.

During the 20th century, the economic requirements for labor force with secondary education skills rose due to the rise of businesses and advances in science and technology.

Teaching in secondary education

Teachers are certified in one of two areas for secondary education: middle school or high school. These certifications can overlie. Some states certify teachers in various curricular areas to teach secondary education.

Middle schools (Grades 6/7/8 through 8/9) and Junior High schools

Middle schools are schools that cover grades 6 through 8. Schools that cover grades 7 through 9 are referred to as junior high schools. Both are between primary education and high school. The dividing lines vary by state and by district.

Upon arrival in Middle or Junior High School, students begin to register in schedules where they take classes from several teachers in a given day, unlike elementary school, where most classes are with the same teacher, excepting art, music, and physical education. The classes are usually a set of four or five (if foreign language is included in the curriculum) basic classes (English or "language arts," science, mathematics, history or "social studies," and, in some schools, foreign language) with two to four other classes, either electives or supplementary or corrective classes.

In school districts divided into Middle and Junior High Schools one of the differences between the two is non-compulsory courses. Middle schools offer only optional courses for physical education, organized group sports, and for music education. Junior High offers 2-4 elective courses, including foreign languages. The other difference is that the instructors in Middle Schools work together as a team, each within the same grade level of students but teaching different curriculum classes, whereas Junior High is set up with each academic department operating independently of each other, and teaching all grades that attend the school.

Some students also start taking a foreign language or advanced math and science classes in middle school, such as Spanish, French, German, even Asian languages, Algebra I, Geometry, Earth Science, and other courses for high school credit. Physical education classes are obligatory for various periods.

High school (Grades 9 through 12)

High school runs either from grades 9-12 or from grades 10-12. A feature of the US educational system is that high schools are provided by local districts and not by the central government. In high school, students get more control of their education, and may choose even their basic classes. The control varies from state to state and school to school.

History of secondary education

US has been the leader in educational progress, beginning with the high school movement and later with mass post-secondary. By 1955, 80% of US youth had graduated from an academic high school compared to only 10-20% of European youth. This gap in educational attainment may explain why the US was able to widen the gap with Europe after its initial period.

At the turn of the 20th century, it was common to have entrance examinations which restricted entrance to fewer than 5 percent of the population in preparation for college. Most were expected for a work or family after junior high school.

In the early 20th century, America experienced a "High school movement" as high school enrollment and graduation rates increased. This change in high school conscription and graduation rates has been linked with the rise of the second industrial revolution and the growth of white collar employment. In the following years, the economic return to education was high as the demand for office clerks and skilled blue-collar workers increased as well.

By mid-century, comprehensive high schools became common, which were designed to give a free education to any student who chose to stay in school for 12 years to get a diploma with grade point average. The goal became to minimize the number who exited at the compulsory attendance age, which varies by State between 14 and 18 years of age, and considered to be drop outs, at risk of economic failure. By the 2000s, standard education was accepted in most states and federal education policy had the goal to raise standards. It changed the measurement of success to academic achievement, rather than the completion of 12 years of education. By 2006, two-thirds of students lived in states with effective standards requiring tests to ensure that all graduates had achieved these standards.

Curricular structure of secondary education

There is wide difference in curriculum for students in the United States. Many do not begin to specialize into a narrow field of study until their sophomore year of college. Since the turn of the 20th century many high schools in the United States have offered a choice of vocational or college prep curriculum. Schools that offer vocational programs include high level of technical specialization. The level of specialization varies depending on both the state and district the school is located in. A class period is the time allotted for one class session, usually in schools and colleges. A period may vary in time, but is usually 30-90 minutes long.

There is wide variance in the curriculum each year but many American high schools require that courses of English, science, social science, and mathematics be taken by the students every year although other schools set the required number of credits and permit the student much choice when the courses will be taken after 10th grade.

Three science courses are required. Biology, chemistry, and physics are standard options. Other science studies include geology, the environment and forensics.

High school mathematics includes topics such as algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Advanced study can include precalculus, calculus and statistics, with Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) accreditation.

English/Language classes are required for four years of high school although many schools count journalism, public speaking, foreign language, literature, drama, and writing as English Language classes. Required social science classes include World History, U.S. History and civics. Additional study can include law (constitutional, criminal or international), economics, sociology, and psychology.

Two years of physical education are required, although some states and schools require that all students take Physical Education every semester.

Many states require a "Health" course in which students learn anatomy, nutrition, first aid, the basic concepts of sexuality and birth control, and how to make decisions concerning illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. In some places contraception is not allowed to be taught for religious reasons. In some places, the health and physical education are combined or are offered in alternate semesters.

In some private schools, such as Catholic schools, theology is required before a student graduates.

Electives in secondary education

Public high schools offer a wide variety of optional courses. Some schools and states require students to earn a few credits of classes considered electives, most commonly foreign language and physical education.

Common types of electives include:

Visual arts (drawing, sculpture, painting, photography)
Performing arts (choir, drama, band, orchestra, dance, film acting)
Vocational education (woodworking, metalworking, automobile repair)
Computer science/business education (word processing, programming, graphic design, computer club, Web design)
Journalism/publishing (school newspaper, yearbook, television production)
Foreign languages: French, German, Italian, and Spanish are common; Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Greek, Latin, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese and American Sign Language.
Family and consumer science/health ("home economics"; nutrition, child development)
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Some American high schools offer drivers' education.