ENGLISH VERSION IN CONSTRUCTION
This section briefly describes the types of schools in USA, different schools offer alternatives in teaching styles, content, and learning opportunities.
PRIVATE (NONPUBLIC) SCHOOLS
There are a variety of religious and on-religious private schools.
These schools of choice have been part of the fabric of American education since colonial days, they have been established to meet the demand to support parents’ differing beliefs about how their children to be educated.
Religious private schools
The majority of private are religious. Many are affiliated with a denomination, local church, or religious faith such as Roman Catholic, Protestant, conservative Christian, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or other.
Secular private schools
There are also many private schools without a religious identity or affiliation. Some of these private schools are preparatory (Prep) schools designed to prepare students for college. These schools often have a traditional or elite reputation and a long history.
Advanced Placement (AP) /International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs
Both AP and IB courses give motivated high school students an opportunity to challenge themselves to pursue higher-level studies. They can be found at USA public, private and boarding high schools.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer rigorous content, and at the end of a course students can take the national Advanced Placement exam. If they score well on the exam, many colleges and universities will grant college credit for completing the course.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a program of rigorous academic courses. Graduate from the program receive an International Baccalaureate diploma that is recognized by colleges and universities throughout the world. Other students may choose not to take the full IB curriculum but pursue certificates in individual areas. Elementary and middle schools may also offer components of the IB program.
Other schools
They are based on a particular educational philosophy or approach to learning, such as Montessori and Waldorf schools. Some schools have a special education focus, such as schools for the deaf or blind or have been established for families and children who may be dissatisfied with various aspects of conventional schools.
Montessori and Waldorf education
Even though both strategies lay strong emphasis on experiential learning and the role of the child, their underlying philosophies diverge. While Montessori education encourages natural curiosity with a focus on independent learning, Waldorf schooling emphasizes holistic advancement through creativity and imagination.
Montessori schools
The Montessori education involves children’s natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods, instead Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play.
In a Montessori school children make creative choices in their learning. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills while the highly trained teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process.
Montessori schools are commonly classified as private schools. However, they can also be independent, funded by tuition, or the public, funded by public money. Furthermore, some tuition-based schools use philanthropic support and public subsidies to serve low-income populations.
Waldorf Schools
Waldorf education is a unique educational approach practiced in the largest group of independent, non-denominational private schools in the world.
Waldorf schools have a holistic view of education, the Waldorf approach recognizes human beings as three-fold in nature – consisting of a mind, spirit, and body, and it educates that entire being in preparation for a life of meaning and purpose.
Waldorf schools offer a developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous approach to education. They integrate the arts in all academic disciplines for children from preschool through twelfth grade to enhance and enrich learning.
Waldorf education aims to inspire life-long learning in all students and to enable them to fully develop their unique capacities.
*Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Public schools get their financing from local, state, and federal government funds. They must admit all students who live within the borders of their district. Charter schools and magnet schools are two relatively new kinds of public schools.
Neighborhood Public schools
Many parents choose to send their children to the public school in their neighborhood according to an assignment system developed by the school district. Students are easier to get to school, to work with classmates on group projects, and to visit friends. These schools are often anchors in a community.
Specialized Public schools
In an increasing number of districts, there are specialized public schools that often emphasize a particular subject or have a special philosophy of education.
One school might emphasize science, art, or language study. Another might offer a firm code of conduct, a dress code, or a rigorous traditional academic program.
Magnet schools
Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds by focusing on a specific subject, such as science, technology, or the arts.
Some magnet schools require students to take an exam or demonstrate knowledge or skill in the specialty to qualify to go to the school, while others are open to students who express an interest in that area.
Charter schools
Charter schools are public schools of choice that operate with freedom from many of the local and state regulations that apply to traditional public schools.
Charter schools allow parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs, and others the flexibility to innovate, create and provide students with increased educational options.
Charter schools exercise increased autonomy in return for stronger accountability. They are sponsored by designated local, state, or other organizations that monitor their quality and integrity while holding them accountable for academic results and fiscal practices.
Magnet schools
Magnet schools are designed to attract students from diverse social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds by focusing on a specific subject, such as science, technology, or the arts.
Some magnet schools require students to take an exam or demonstrate knowledge or skill in the specialty to qualify to go to the school, while others are open to students who express an interest in that area.
Alternative Public schools
These schools are designed to respond to students who are insufficiently challenged by the regular school program, who are likely to drop out, or who have behavioral or substance abuse problems. They are often small, work to make students feel they belong.
Some states also offer second chance schools or clinics for students who have dropped out of regular schools and now want to complete their education.
Special education school
A public elementary/secondary school that focuses primarily on special education including instruction for students with any of the following conditions:
“Autism, deaf-blindness, developmental delay, hearing impairment, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment, and other health impairments”
These schools provide adapted curriculum, materials, or instruction for students served.
Virtual schools
Instead of taking classes in a school building, students can receive their education using a computer through a virtual school. Virtual schools have an organized curriculum. Depending on the state and district, students can take the full curriculum or individual classes. Some school districts have used these online schools to offer classes that will help students learn at their own pace.
Virtual education is sometimes used in remote areas for specialized or advanced courses that are not available in the immediate area. This type of studying is also called ‘distance learning.’
Home schools
Homeschooling is an option for a growing number of parents. Some parents prepare their own materials and design their own programs of study, while others use materials produced by companies specializing in homeschool materials. Some take advantage of virtual school programs or other educational resources available on the Internet. Of course, exercising this option may require major changes in how your family lives. Teaching your children at home is an ambitious undertaking, requiring time, planning, creativity, and commitment. Be sure to check with your state because different states have different requirements for homeschooling.