This Presentation was prepared in 2005 after a visit to the USA under the International Visitors Leadership Program organized by the State Dept.

1. A
COMPARATIVE PROFILE
OF
INDIAN AND AMERICAN
SCHOOL EDUCATION
SYSTEM

2. PROGRAMME
‘INTERNATIONAL VISITORS’
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME’ (IVLP)
Organized by
United States Department of State
Entitled
‘Elementary and Secondary Education in the US’

3. OBJECTIVES
 The IVL Programme seeks to build understanding
between the U.S. & people of other countries through
carefully designed visits that reflect the visitors
professional interest.
 To Provide an overview of the U.S. system of education
& current trends in elementary & secondary school
education.
 To provide opportunities for participants to compare and
contrast the American Education system with the view to
identify common interests and concerns & to facilitate
co-operation among educators world wide.

4. CITIES VISITED

5. SCHOOLS VISITED
1. Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community
Freedom Public Charter School Washington.
2. Maya Angelou Public Charter School Washington.
3. Lowell High School San Francisco.
4. Galileo Academy of Science & Technology San Francisco.
5. Malcolm X Academy San Francisco.
6. Saint Ignatius College Preparatory San Francisco.
7. Adams Spanish Immersion School Minneapolis.
8. L.D.N. French Immersion School Minneapolis.
9. Four Seasons A+ Elementary School Minneapolis.
10. The Shrine School Memphis.
11. Grizzlies Academy Memphis.
12. Oakland School Memphis.
13. Fayette Academy Memphis.
14. Gulliver Academy Miami.
15. Sunset Elementary School Miami.
16. North Dade Center for Modern Languages Miami.

6. ORGANISATIONS VISITED
(1) I I E (Institute of International Education)
(2) U.S. Dept. of Education
(3) U.S. Chamber of Commerce
(4) U.S. House of Representatives
(5) District of Columbia Public School (Office of
Academic services)
(6) Stanford University
(7) Wested (An educational research & development
centre)
(8) Minnesota Dept. of Education
(9) Education Minnesota
(10) The Capital Building St. Paul Minnesota
(11) St. Paul Public Schools District Administration
(12) Minnesota International Center
(13) Memphis Police Department.
(14) Miami Dade Country Public School Administration
(15) Community Relation Board, Miami.

10. MACRO OVERVIEW - STATISTICAL
PARTICULARS U S A INDIA
(1) Population (Millions) 261 1048
 (2) Area (000 sq.kms) 9628 3288
 (3) Per Capita Income (Rs.) 20,64,000 26,000
 (4) Literacy Rate (%) 100 65
 (5) Student’s Population (Millions) 54 200
 (6) Number of Schools 94,000 10,16,000
 (7) Average size of School 574 158
 (No. of Students / School)
 (8) Teacher School Ratio 36 : 1 3.94 : 1
 (9) Teacher Child Ratio 1 : 6 1 : 40
 (10) Teachers Male 25 63
 Male : Female Female 75 37
 (11) Schools with computers (%) 100 7.68
 (12) Teacher’s Salary Primary 20.54 0.75
 (Rs. In lakhs) Secondary 20.75 1.50

11. STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION
Level Description USA INDIA
I Pre School Level
Duration
Age
Early childhood Prog.
One year
4 to 5 yrs
Nursery
One year
2 to 3 yrs
II Kindergarten
Duration
Age
K.G.
One year
5 years
K.G.
Two years
3 to 4 years
III Primary
Duration
Class
Age
Elementary
5 years
I to V
6 to 10 years
Primary
4 years
I to IV
5 to 8 years
IV Secondary
Duration
Class
Age
Middle School
3 years
VI – VIII
11 to 13 years
Secondary
6 years
V to X
9 to 14 year
V Higher Secondary
Duration
Class
Age
Senior Secondary
4 years
IX to XII
14 to 17 years
Junior College.
2 years
XI to XII
15 to 16 years

12. IDEALS AND GOALS OF THE U.S
EDUCATION SYSTEM
 Goals
The main ideals of the US Education System are …
 Universal Access
 Comprehensive Learning
 Local Control
 Community Involvement
 Free Education
Public education is free for 13 years ( KG to XII) & compulsory
until 16 years of age.
 Secular Education
Public Schools are not allowed to make reference to any religion nor
observe religious holidays.

14. EDUCATIONAL SETUP
 Federal Government
 50 States
 Education is a state function
 Education Policies differ from state to state.
 50 states control 14,500 districts.
 Districts control 94,000 public schools.
 Every district has one school board.
 School board members are either elected or nominated by the Mayor.
 Education funded by Federal Government (7.9%), State Govt. (49.3%)
and local community (42.8%)
 Schools are managed by school board.
 School board has one student representative member.
 School board selects / elects chairman
 Chairman employs one superintendent and one Attorney.

15. EDUCATIONAL POLICIES
 1950 Supreme Court in Brown v/s The Board
of Education decides separate, but equal
education unconstitutional.
 1960 Elementary & Secondary Education Act
provided Federal fund to support special
education, bi-lingual education and at
risk children (Title 1)
 1980 State takes more control from locals.
 1990 Continuing achievement gap leads to
standard based reforms in state.
 2001 ‘No child left Behind Act’ expands
Federal control.

16. No Child Left Behind Act
 States must develop content standards.
 Test students every year & administer NAEP
(National Assessment of Educational Proficiency)
 Make adequate yearly progress for all students.
 By 2014 all students must perform at proficient
level as defined by State.
 Provide a quality teacher in every classroom.
 Public to report school and district performance.
 Failing schools and districts be made accountable
Jan 8th 2002

17. CURRICULUM & TEXT BOOKS
 Curriculum is prepared by experts appointed by
state.
 Curriculum differs from state to state.
 Private companies (publishers) write & print text
books based on curriculum.
 State selects & approves text books.
 Schools have freedom to choose text books.
 Curriculum is need based, diversified and flexible.

19. TYPES OF SCHOOLS
Public Private Home
(88%) (12%) (Neg)
Charter Magnet Neigh- Religious Non religious
bourhood
 Charter Schools : Operated by Parents, Educationists & Community
leaders. Determines its own curriculum.
 Magnet Schools : In addition to the basic curriculum, focus in a particular
area such as technology, art, environment or languages.
 Neighbourhood schools : A designated school closest to a students home.
 Private schools : Autonomous institutions with high fee structure.
No Government control.
 Home school : Parents and tutors teach the children at home and prepare
them for state examination. (This option is generally selected by
families in very remote areas or those who do not believe the public or
private schools match their ideals or values.)

23. School Year
(a) HOLIDAYS
 School year from September to June.
 2 & 3 week break in December, one week break in November & one week in March or April.
 Few schools are experimenting with year round calendar. 2 working months followed by 2 weeks off
throughout the year.
(b) WORKING HOURS
 7 hours per day for 5 days per week
 Some schools have extended day schedule to accommodate children of working parents
(c) NO. OF PERIODS.
 6 to 7 periods per day of 40 to 55 minutes duration.
 Some schools use block scheduling system having four periods daily of 84 minutes each.
Note:
 Elementary School :
Students generally stay in the same class room with the same teacher all day except for
subjects like Physical Education, Music etc.
 Junior High School / High School
Students move throughout the day in the class rooms of teachers of different speciality areas
such as English, Algebra, Spanish, Music etc.

25. INFRASTRUCTURE
 Majority of the school buildings are Ground or one floor
structures.
 Extensive open areas in the campus with play ground.
 Big class rooms with fully equipped educational technology
like computers, printers, lap top, closed circuit TV,
overhead projector, class room library, display board, Green
board.
 Well maintained, neat & clean building.
 Child friendly furniture.
 Well equipped laboratories.
 Special Counsellor’s room.
 Wellness Center.
 Vocational & Career Guidance Center.

34. TEACHING METHODOLOGY
 Class room setting is casual & relaxed.
 Teachers & Students interact rather informally.
 Students are encouraged to ask questions.
 Emphasis on hands-on and interactive experience.
 Encourage creative thinking and problem solving in a lively
atmosphere.
 Teachers seldom physically interact with children for either
praise or discipline.
 Excessive use of teaching aids & material.
 Assignment given on web site.
 Emphasis on learning through play way and group method.
 Pre-prepared work sheets are used in place of note books.

36. TEACHERS’ UNION
“ Schools are places where every one comes to learn “
 The mission: Teachers’ Union are working for excellence in teaching
and learning; promoting vision, best practices and achievements.
 They believe quality educators are the key ingredients in quality
education.
 Set up code of ethics for Teachers & Administrators.
 Affiliated to The American Federation of Teachers & National
Education Association.
 Disseminate information through regularly printed newsletters,
magazines which are subscribed by every teacher.
 Undertake various educational research and professional
developmental programmes like ER & D (Educational Research &
Dissemination) , TALL (Teachers As Learners & Leaders) & E-
Mentoring Programme etc.

41. E-MENTORING
 Encouraging, Enhancing & Energizing, Experience &
expertise shared electronically.
 It is a support programme for new teachers when they
need it the most.
 New teachers are connected electronically to a
accomplished teacher of the same grade level and
content area to share confidentially about lesson plans,
class room management, organizational tools, parents
communication and other professional topics.
 They use either an email system, a discussion forum or
their own private chat rooms.
 In addition to electronic support and collegial sharing, new
teachers and mentors can earn up to two graduate semester
credits at the university.

43. CHALLENGES FACED BY U.S.
EDUCATION SYSTEM
 One in 3 Americans obtain post secondary education in his/her mid
30’s.
 50% of students entering college require Remedial English.
 USA ranks 27th out of 39 countries in Programme for international
students assessment of 15 year olds.
 Student’s Mobility very high.
 Majority of the existing US Principals & Teachers will retire in next 5
years.
 Non availability of good teachers in high poverty districts.
 Dire budget problems at state & local levels.
 Cultural war controversy.

44. MEASURES TO OVERCOME
CHALLENGES
 All levels busy improving the system.
 Greater choice to students Charter schools in 36 Districts.
 Voucher Programme.
 State standard based accountability reform.
 Comprehensive school reforms.
 Class Size Reduction.
 Improving teacher’s training, induction, retention and
compensation.
 No Child Left Behind Act (January 8, 2002)
Main goal of NCLB is to have every student achieve
proficiency in Reading, Maths and Science by 2014.

45. THE SIMILARITIES
[1] Large Number of Government funded schools.
[2] 3 to 4 levels of education.
[3] Multiplicity of languages.
[4] High Drop out Rate.
[5] Supply of food in schools.
[6] Large number of schools.
[7] Free and Compulsory Education (up to XII Std. )
[8] Absence of Religion from Public Schools.
[9] PTA has a Student member.
[10] Vernacular Medium Schools.

46. THE DIFFERENCES
[1] Greater Flexibility.
[2] Greater Autonomy.
[3] Low Teacher Child Ratio.
[4] Transparency of System.
[5] Greater Use of Technology.
[6] Higher space per child.
[7] State of the art class rooms.
[8] Emphasis on practical education.
[9] No uniform in schools.
[10] Emphasis on professional development programmes
[11] High Salaries of Teachers.
[12] More options in subjects.
[13] All schools are co-educational.

50. INNOVATIVE PRACTICES
 Mentorship Programme
 Learning Circle
 Parent Volunteer
 School board arranges for substitute teacher
 On line information
 Home schooling
 Curriculum Dynamics
 Parents allowed to attend school board meetings & ask questions
 Student on school board (no power )
 Peace Coaches for Conflict Resolving
 School Supply Store (everything about schools under one roof)
 Teachers provided readymade materials
 Common code of conduct for students devised by the state.

60. Thank You