American School System

[Anarchy Bob]

Hello there. It's me again, with another of my weird questions.

Could someone give me a brief overview of the american education system? How many grades are there? For what age groups are each for? What are those weird terms (to me) i keep hearing about.. like junior, senior, sophomore, k-12 and the like.

i'll ask more specific questions once the ball gets rolling.

[Salinger]

I don't know if it was just my lack of watching the news, pathetic American news coverage, or the American education system, but when did Nunavit happen?

.Sal

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Salinger/TheDuck

"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,
and quacks like a duck...it's gotta be Salinger." -Quack!

"You're living in America/Leave your conscience at the tone."
- Jonathan Larson, Rent

[Captain Blake]

K-12 is the usual term for the childhood education. It covers kindergarten through 12th grade.
A breakdown by usual age and "nickname" if any.

Kindergarten = 5 year old.
1st grade = 6.
2nd = 7
3rd = 8
4th = 9
5th = 10
6th = 11
7th = 12
8th = 13
In some school systems K-6 is called elementary school, 7th and 8th is Junior High.
In some school systems, K-4 is elementary school and 5-8 is middle school.
9-12 is called High school.
9th = 11, Freshman.
10th = 15, Sophomore.
11th = 16, Junior.
12th = 17, Senior.

There can be regional variations where junior high and middle school begin and end. Sometimes the terms are used interchangably. I had a friend that had 7-9 in middle school, 10-12 in high school, whereas I had 5-8 middle school and 9-12 high school.



[This message has been edited by Captain Blake (edited 03-13-2001).]

[Anarchy Bob]

The 'battle' to form Nunavut happened between 1973 and april 1st 1999.

Since then, it's been an official 3rd 'territory' in Canada, occupying the eastern portion of what was then the North-West Territory.

It's basically a province filled with Inuits.

I'm not surprised you ask the question though. Many canadians probably don't know that Nunavut is.

[VulcanJoe]

Captain Blake's numbers are a year off, at least for the states I'm familiar with.

In New York State, subtract 1 from Captain Blake's list:

Kindergarten: 5
First Grade: 6
yadayadayada
12th Grade: 17

[Captain Blake]

You're right, VJ. I'll go back and edit. I was interrupted in the middle and didn't check my numbers. Thanks!

[Anarchy Bob]

Just checking something.. When you say

12th grade: 17.

Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?

[qerlin]

The 5 for kindergrarden is usually the age they shoot for, sometimes they're 4 or 6, depending on where their birthday falls.

It's not set in stone. And if your kid is a total duffer, he can be held back; though we rarely do that anymore... If he's a shining star of intellectual ability, they'll sometimes jump them a grade early on. If they are WAAAY ahead of the curve in high school, some school districts will allow them to test out early and head for college.

[Anarchy Bob]

To be honest, i only knew the answer to that because back when i was a 'perpetual college student' the only classes that motivated me where anthropology and politics.

I even thought of getting a degree in politics with a minor in native american studies.

[VulcanJoe]

Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
Just checking something.. When you say

12th grade: 17.

Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?

You need to be 17 years old on the day school starts for grade 12...

Actually, you only have to worry about that when registering for kindergarten - as long as you are 5 on the first day of kindergarten (American school usually starts the first week of September), you're in. If you are turning 5 in October, you have to wait until the following year.

I was born the first week of September, so I know all about this Of course this meant that I was the baby of the class.

Now (way) back then, the drinking age was still 18. So many of my high school friends could go out drinking during senior year of high school, but I was SOL that year, *and* the summer before college.
Fortunately the powers that be hadn't invented the picture ID yet...

[Gamethyme]

Originally posted by Salinger:
Next week, I'm going to be heading up to San Juan Island in Northern Washington state where my girlfriend's parents live.

Here in Washington State, the School System varies from district to district.

We have two Systems -- Middle School and Jr. High, and they are (for the most part) the same state-wide.

Both systems have a few things in common:
Both are 13 years long, consisting of Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, etc. -- all the way though 12th Grade.
9th Grade is also called "Freshman Year"
10th Grade is "Sophomore Year"
11th Grade is "Junior Year"
12th Grade is "Senior Year"
You will start Kindergarten when you are 5 years old (July 29th is the Cutoff day. If your fifth birthday is July 30th, you won't start kindergarten until you are 6).

That said, the only major difference is when the schools are split to the next-highest.

A Jr. High system is split as follows:
K-6 = Elementary School
7-9 = Jr. High [However, the 9th Grade Year goes on your college transcripts as being part of High School]
10-12 = Senior High School

A Middle School System is
K-5 = Elementary
6-8 = Middle School
9-12 = High School

Also, rural schools may mix it up a bit -- IIRC, Colville only has two schools (with a total of about 400 kids)

After that, there is always College, which is an entirely different ball of wax.

Gamethye

[Paul]

Originally posted by qerlin:
The 5 for kindergrarden is usually the age they shoot for, <snip>

Given the recent news we've heard regarding shootings in US schools...I'm going to assume that you didn't mean this literally?

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How do I set a Laser Printer to stun?

[Roxby]

Oh, Paul...

>snigger<

I work with High School kids... >chortle< so...I shouldn't laugh >titter<

but...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

that was funny.

>snif< I mean, it's not....

but it is....

I'm glad I didn't find this thread first, because I would have said something like:

Kindergarten - age 5 taught basic gang signs, how to hold a weapon...
First grade -

err... nevermind... I'm going to quit before I get myself in more trouble.

As a side note, I found out tonight that I am not allowed to use the phrase 'go ballistic' around the kids. Parents are afraid that it might lead to another shooting or something. As if a turn-of-phrase is really the root of the problem. Let's hide our heads in the sand folks, nevermind examining the problem head on with a little unflinching introspection....

>sigh<

people...

-R

[This message has been edited by Roxby (edited 03-13-2001).]

[Captain Blake]

Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
Just checking something.. When you say

12th grade: 17.

Does that mean that you enter 12th grade being 17 years old and when you finish it, you're 18?

Usually, yes. Although in my high school, most people didn't graduate on the first try, and so were 19 or 20 when they graduated. Ah the benefits of a rural education.

[Salinger]

Originally posted by Anarchy Bob:
The 'battle' to form Nunavut happened between 1973 and april 1st 1999.

Since then, it's been an official 3rd 'territory' in Canada, occupying the eastern portion of what was then the North-West Territory.

It's basically a province filled with Inuits.

I'm not surprised you ask the question though. Many canadians probably don't know that Nunavut is.

Well, if I hadn't found Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie on mp3.com I probably still wouldn't have known about Nunavut. I was really surprised after I finished listening to their song "Nunavut" to find out that the song was not just a little joke song, that there was a province filled with Inuit called Nunavut.

Next week, I'm going to be heading up to San Juan Island in Northern Washington state where my girlfriend's parents live. I'm going to have to ask her father about Nunavut. He's an anthropologist who specializes in Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest...I imagine he knows something.

.Sal

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Salinger/TheDuck

"If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck,
and quacks like a duck...it's gotta be Salinger." -Quack!

"You're living in America/Leave your conscience at the tone."
- Jonathan Larson, Rent