School is an institution that provides education. Schools play a number of important roles in modern society. They teach reading, writing, mathematics, and other skills needed in everyday life. They also increase people’s knowledge of the world and themselves and help them understand the rapid changes that take place in modern society. Schools prepare people for jobs and careers and help them develop interests that make their leisure time more rewarding. In schools, students learn their responsibilities and rights as citizens, improve their ability to think critically, and develop such basic values as truth, justice, and equality. In addition, human knowledge is extended through research carried out in schools.
People throughout the world attend school. But the quality of schools varies widely among countries. Most industrialized nations—such as Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States, and most European nations—have well-developed educational systems. These countries provide substantial financial support for their schools. Most of the schools have skilled teachers, modern equipment, and a variety of educational materials. Most young people in industrialized countries complete elementary school and enter high school. Many also continue on to college.
Other nations—especially many of the less developed nations of Africa and Asia—have made progress in building elementary and secondary school systems. But these nations cannot yet afford to provide long-term, quality education for most of their young people. Many children do not finish elementary school, and few people enter college. The percentage of people who can read and write well is much lower in these countries than in the industrialized nations.
Kinds of schools
There are many kinds of schools for people of various ages. Some of the main types include (1) preschools, (2) kindergartens, (3) elementary schools, (4) intermediate schools, (5) high schools, (6) community colleges, and (7) colleges and universities. Schools may be public or private. Public schools are controlled and financed by the government. Private schools are operated by religious groups or other private nonprofit or for-profit organizations.
Preschools
are designed mainly for children 3 and 4 years old. Most of these schools use play activities and informal methods of instruction to help children learn to work and play together. Preschools also teach youngsters basic skills they will need in later levels of school. Preschools are sometimes called nursery schools. 
Some day care, or child care, centers resemble preschools. However, a number of day care centers only provide care for children and do not offer planned educational programs.
Kindergartens
mainly teach children who are 5 or 6 years old. Some children enter kindergarten after preschool. However, for many other youngsters, kindergarten is their first school experience. Most kindergartens continue the informal methods used in preschool. Some also give children formal preparation for reading, writing, and other subjects. Because kindergartens, like schools for 3- and 4-year-olds, prepare children for more formal levels of schooling, they too are sometimes called preschools.
Elementary schools,
or primary schools, provide formal education in such basic subjects as arithmetic; science; social studies; and communication skills, including reading, writing, spelling, and speaking.
Most elementary schools have six grades (kindergarten through 5) or nine grades (kindergarten through 8) and teach children from age 6 to age 12 or 14. This type of school, in which students of about the same age are all in the same grade, is also called a grade school or grammar school. Some communities have nongraded, or ungraded, elementary schools. Students in these schools are not grouped in grades according to age. Instead, each child advances in each subject at his or her own rate. Pupils in elementary schools transfer to higher-level schools when they reach the required age, provided that their educational progress is satisfactory.
Intermediate schools
have been established in many communities to help students make the transition from elementary school to more advanced levels of schooling. The grade structures of these schools vary widely. Most offer grades 6 to 8, but such combinations as grades 6 and 7, 7 and 8, and 7 to 9 are also common. The two most common types of intermediate schools are middle schools and junior high schools. Most middle schools continue the same kinds of programs offered in upper elementary schools. Junior high schools introduce students to the kind of instruction they will find in high school.
High schools
usually provide from three to six years of education, depending on the community’s school system. Systems with a three-year junior high school (7-9) usually have a three-year high school (10-12). Systems with a two-year junior high school (7-8) usually have a four-year high school (9-12). Systems with a middle school (6-8) or a nine-year elementary school (kindergarten through 8) also usually have a four-year high school. Some communities have seven-year elementary schools and five-year high schools, and others have six-year elementary schools and six-year high schools.
Most high schools provide both college preparatory and vocational programs. A college preparatory program consists mainly of such subjects as history, language, mathematics, and the physical and social sciences. Vocational programs—often known as career and technical programs—provide training in various job skills for students who do not plan to enter college. Some schools offer either a college preparatory program or a career and technical program, not both.
Community colleges,
also called junior colleges, provide from one to three years of study after high school. They usually offer two kinds of educational programs. One program consists of courses much like those taken during the first two years at a four-year college. It prepares students for further study at a college or university. The other type of program offers specialized job training.
Colleges and universities
offer advanced study after high school or junior college in a variety of fields. Most colleges have four-year programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in the arts or sciences. Many also offer programs of study leading to a master’s or doctor’s degree. 
Most universities consist of a number of colleges and schools. For example, a university may include colleges or schools of business administration, dentistry, education, engineering, law, and medicine, as well as a college of arts and sciences.
Other kinds of schools.
Many schools provide special types of education. Some of these schools are designed for gifted children or children with disabilities. Others provide vocational programs for adults. Correspondence schools offer home-study courses through the mail or over the Internet. Night schools provide courses for people who work during the day. Some parents teach their children at home instead of sending them to a regular school. This arrangement is called home schooling.
School systems
Nearly every country has a school system that consists of various levels. The levels are arranged somewhat like the rungs of a ladder. Early childhood education in preschools and kindergartens is the first rung. It is followed by elementary education, intermediate education, secondary education, and higher education. In many countries, the national government oversees school systems. In other countries, school systems are chiefly the responsibility of state, provincial, or local governments.
In the United States,
the majority of schools are publicly controlled and financed. But there are also numerous private school systems operated by religious groups and other organizations.
Public schools.
Unlike most countries, the United States does not have a national educational system. Instead, each U.S. state is responsible for organizing and regulating its own system. Within each state, local school districts operate the schools. The only exception is Hawaii, where the state operates as a single district and directly controls all public schools. School districts vary throughout the United States. Some large districts cover an entire city. Small districts may consist of a small town or a thinly populated rural area. In some areas, two or more small rural districts may combine to form a consolidated, or unified, school (see Consolidated school ). Most school districts provide both elementary and secondary schooling.
Each school district in the United States has a board of education, or school board, that is responsible for public education in the district. In addition, most districts have a superintendent of schools, appointed by the board, who supervises school operation. School board members are either elected by the people of the district or appointed by the local government.
A district’s board of education sets general policies for the operation of the district. These policies deal with such matters as the hiring of school staff, the approval of courses of study, and the maintenance of school buildings and grounds. The superintendent recommends operating policies to the board and makes sure that district schools carry out the board’s policies. In most districts, the superintendent recommends people for employment as school principals and supervises the principals’ work. Most teachers and other school staff are hired on the recommendation of the school principal and the superintendent.
In the lower elementary grades, a group of students may spend most of the day in one classroom with a single teacher. This teacher instructs the group in basic subjects. The students may go to other teachers for specialized instruction in such areas as physical education and the arts. In the intermediate grades, students are sometimes taught each subject by a teacher who specializes in that subject. Most secondary schools divide their teaching staff into departments and have one department for each subject. Students in these schools attend classes in various rooms, and each student follows an individualized course schedule.
Teachers and school administrators prepare the curriculum (program of learning activities) in most schools. Teachers conduct classroom activities, evaluate students, keep class records, maintain classroom order, and recommend students for awards or punishments. Principals supervise and help teachers in performing these duties. In departmentalized schools, each department includes an experienced teacher who serves as the department head. The department head directs curriculum planning and teacher development within the department.
Schools hire specialists and other employees in addition to classroom teachers. The specialists may include librarians, reading specialists, and instructors who work with gifted children or children with disabilities. Many schools have guidance counselors, who help students select courses, choose careers, and deal with personal or family problems. Other employees include cafeteria workers, coaches, custodians, nurses, and secretaries.
Schools offer students a variety of things to do outside the classroom. These extracurricular activities may involve athletics, community service, dancing, music, work on school newspapers and yearbooks, and participation in student government, clubs, and honor societies. Most of these activities are school-sponsored.
Financial support for the day-to-day operation of public schools in the United States comes almost entirely from taxes. Most of the tax money comes from state and local taxes. In many communities, financing schools is the largest public expense. Most principals consult with staff members about their school’s needs and then submit a list of these needs to the superintendent. Next, the superintendent prepares a yearly budget of estimated costs for school board approval. These costs include the salaries of teachers and other staff members and money for building maintenance, athletics programs and certain other extracurricular activities, and books and supplies. The principal manages the use of funds approved for his or her school.
Private schools.
Organizations that operate private schools appoint school administrators to oversee educational activities. In most cases, the administrators have about the same responsibilities as public school principals and superintendents. These administrators operate according to policies set by the private organization rather than by a public school board. But private schools must meet certain government standards regarding the quality of the education they offer.
Some private schools operate for a profit. But most, such as those run by religious groups, are nonprofit organizations. Private schools operated by religious groups are called parochial schools. Private schools in the United States receive almost all their financial support from private sources, such as tuitions, gifts, and church donations. 
In Canada.
The Canadian school system is similar in many ways to the U.S. system. The provincial and territorial governments in Canada oversee local school districts that operate elementary and primary schools. Most districts in Canada have a school board and superintendent. Canada’s public schools are funded primarily by the provinces and territories. Additional funds come from the federal government, local communities, and fees and other sources. Some Canadian provinces help support private schools with tax money. But in other provinces, private schools receive little or no government assistance.
In the United Kingdom.
The four divisions that make up the United Kingdom—England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales—have separate school systems. Each system is run by its own government department, which works closely with local school authorities. 
Most students in the United Kingdom attend primary school until they are 11 or 12 years old. After that point, they attend secondary school. The majority of schoolchildren attend free primary schools and high schools that are supported by public funds. The rest go to private institutions, called independent schools, which are supported by fees paid by parents and by private donations.
In other countries.
In most nations, the central government has at least some control over the public school system. Most European nations, for instance, have ministries of education, which decide educational policy. In many countries—including Finland, France, Greece, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore—the national government decides the curriculum of the school system. But in other countries—such as Australia and India—the curriculum is decided primarily by state and provincial governments and by local school officials. 
Nations differ in the ways that they divide primary and secondary education. The Republic of Ireland has an eight-grade national (primary) school system, followed by three years of junior secondary school and two years of senior secondary school. In Australia, primary school covers either six or seven years. Secondary education in Australia covers five or six years and is divided into a junior and senior sequence. In India, students receive eight years of basic (elementary) schooling. Secondary education in India consists of a two-year lower level and a two-year upper level. 
History of schooling
From ancient times until the 1800’s, most people—even in advanced societies—never attended school. In ancient Greece, for example, only the children of citizens—who made up less than half the population—could attend school. During the Middle Ages, which lasted from about the A.D. 400’s through the 1400’s, most schools in Europe were run by the Roman Catholic Church. These schools chiefly trained young men to become priests or government officials.
Widespread development of public schools began in the early 1800’s, when government leaders in many countries acted on the belief that a nation’s progress depends on educated citizens. By the mid-1800’s, the United States, Canada, and many European countries had established public school systems.
The development of U.S. schools.
The first schools in what is now the United States were established in the early 1600’s by colonists from Europe. They were private schools designed to teach reading, writing, and religion.
In 1647, Massachusetts passed the first law in the colonies to require the establishment of public schools. The law required every town with at least 50 families to start an elementary school for all children. In addition, every town with 100 families or more had to set up a secondary school—called a Latin grammar school—that emphasized instruction in Latin and helped prepare boys for college. During the 1700’s, private secondary schools called academies opened in many colonies. They taught bookkeeping, navigation, and other practical subjects in addition to such subjects as English and Latin. Some academies admitted girls, and some were established for girls only.
Colonial school buildings were simple log or wood-frame structures. Most consisted of a single room with a stove in the middle and a few windows. They had benches or crude wooden desks for the students.
The growth of the public school system.
The demand for public education increased in the United States during the early 1800’s. In response, state legislatures gave communities authority to collect property taxes to pay for schools. The states themselves also began to give financial aid to school districts.
In 1837, Massachusetts appointed the nation’s first state board of education and the first state secretary of education. The board’s job was to set school policy. The secretary’s job was to supervise the formation and operation of school districts. Soon, many other states also established a board of education and appointed a state official to administer the school system. After 1850, states began to pass compulsory school-attendance laws. These laws required children to attend school until they completed a certain grade or reached a certain age.
During the 1800’s, new kinds of public schools were started. In 1821, for example, Boston started the nation’s first public high school. In 1851, Massachusetts established the first public school for children with mental retardation. The first public kindergarten in the United States opened in St. Louis in 1873. Also during the 1800’s, public schools began to offer new courses of instruction. They started physical education classes in the mid-1800’s and classes in the industrial arts in the 1880’s. Homemaking classes for girls became common during the second half of the 1800’s.
Public schools served as a center of community activity throughout most of the 1800’s. Spelling bees, town meetings, and other special events were held in schools. But community use of schools began to decline in the late 1800’s, chiefly because many communities outgrew their schools. The buildings were no longer large enough for community gatherings.
Improvements in school design
began in the mid-1800’s. Until that time, most school buildings consisted of one room, and all students were taught together, without regard to grade level. In 1847, Quincy Grammar School in Quincy, Massachusetts, divided students into grades and taught the grades separately. The school thus became the first graded public school in the United States. In 1848, Quincy Grammar School moved to a new building that had 12 classrooms. From that time on, most other new schools in towns and cities were designed with a separate room for each grade.
After about 1900, most schools were built of brick and concrete to meet stricter construction standards. Schools also began to have special rooms in addition to regular classrooms. These special rooms included a gymnasium, a library, a science laboratory, and rooms for art and music classes. School designers also started to provide playground space around city schools.
As school design improved in the early 1900’s, the school again became an important center of community activity. The new schools provided space for community gatherings. Also, the gymnasium and other new facilities were used for recreation and for evening classes.
Growth and reform.
School development slowed during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. But after World War II (1939-1945), a greatly increased birth rate created a need for more schools.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s, several new kinds of schools emerged. They included alternative schools, which were started by parents, religious organizations, and other private groups to help students who did not do well in traditional schools. Alternative schools were often called free schools, because they gave students more freedom to decide what and how to study.
During the late 1900’s and early 2000’s, U.S. public schools became the subject of a nationwide education reform effort. Many schools toughened their curriculum and requirements for graduation. Some schools tried to attract and retain qualified teachers by improving working conditions and raising salaries. In addition, more public school systems allowed parents to choose which public schools their children would attend.
Additionally, many states allowed the establishment of charter schools (see Charter school ). Some charter schools were independent, while others remained a part of an existing school district. Often, charter schools were granted exemptions from most of the rules and regulations governing schools. One benefit proponents of charter schools claimed would be realized was that school choice for parents would encourage public schools to improve their programs so as to avoid losing students and funding. Whether charter schools will succeed in improving public schools, however, is a matter of intense debate among education researchers.
In 2001, the U.S. Congress passed a law that increased the role of the federal government in the public school system. The law, called the No Child Left Behind Act, introduced new requirements for student testing and measures for holding schools accountable for student progress.
Technological advancements
have had a major influence on the way education is provided in schools. During the late 1900’s and early 2000’s, schools greatly expanded the use of computers in everyday instruction. With high-speed access to the Internet, a teacher can present a wide range of information—including text, photographs, sounds, and videos—to a class. Students also can use computers and the Internet for a variety of exercises, presentations, and research projects.
The development of Canadian schools.
Roman Catholic settlers from France set up the first schools in what is now Canada in the early 1600’s. From then until the mid-1700’s, elementary schools, taught mainly by priests, provided instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Jesuit priests began a number of Latin schools, which were similar to the Latin grammar schools in the American Colonies.
Great Britain (later also called the United Kingdom) gained control of Canada in 1763. After that date, English settlers started a number of Protestant schools in Canada. These schools included both elementary schools and schools for boys who had completed their elementary education.
Canada’s first public school systems were started after 1800. The British tried to create a single school system in Quebec for both French-speaking Roman Catholics and English-speaking Protestants. But Catholics opposed the plan. In the 1840’s, Quebec established separate Protestant and Catholic school systems. Ontario, which was largely English-speaking and Protestant, set up a system of separate religious and public schools in the 1850’s and 1860’s.
The British North America Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1867, united Canada’s provinces under one government. But the act left education under provincial control. It also guaranteed public support for religious schools in Quebec, Ontario, and other provinces that had been providing such support.
During the late 1800’s, elementary education became publicly financed and compulsory throughout Canada. The nation’s first public high school was founded in Ontario in 1871. Kindergartens were introduced during the 1880’s. During the early 1900’s, new types of public schools opened. These included vocational high schools and schools for people with disabilities.
Enrollment in Canadian public schools rose dramatically in the 1960’s. During the late 1900’s and early 2000’s, many new schools were opened, including alternative schools, and many school programs expanded. 
The development of British schools.
In the early 1800’s, the United Kingdom took steps toward a national system of schools. The British educators Andrew Bell and Joseph Lancaster developed methods for providing elementary education cheaply by using pupils as teachers. In their systems, teachers taught older students, called monitors, who in turn taught younger students. Schools that used these systems were called monitorial schools. In 1833, the British Parliament voted to provide government money for schools. In 1839, the government claimed the right to inspect the schools to which it gave money.
In 1870, Parliament passed England’s Elementary Education Act. The act established local school boards and provided tax-funded elementary schools in areas where no schools existed. Parliament passed a similar act for Scotland in 1872. England, Wales, and Scotland made rapid progress in setting up a national system of schools. In Northern Ireland, the system developed later. The Parliament of Northern Ireland passed an Education Act in 1923.
For many years, the central government in London and local authorities worked in partnership to provide schooling. However, in the 1990’s, the responsibility for education shifted from the central government to regional government bodies. Today, separate government departments for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland work closely with school authorities to administer the individual educational systems of the four divisions.
