The Goals of American Schools

An American child spends the majority of it's formative years in school. Around age 18 the new adult is expected to emerge from their educational cocoon full of knowledge that will make them successful and happy. What is this knowledge? While there are National Standards for Education (by the Common Core State Standards Commission) they are not mandatory and have only been adopted by 45 states and three territories. Even having adopted such standards to make it easier for students to transfer between states, the individual states largely decide what is to be taught in their schools by school board committee and popular vote.  In general, the goals of America's schools follow a few common themes: academic advancement, social and civic study, personal development, and vocational readiness .

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A school's primary goal is to give a student a sense of history and a sense of the future. American schools tend to focus on U.S. History, state history, and United States geography, while reinforcing the importance of mathematics and technology in the job markets of the future. English and communication skills are required for all students, for all twelve years, but foreign language tends to be only found in secondary education requirements, and then may be required for only one or two semesters. There are those who argue such a nationalistic view of education could actually hurt American children's chances of competing in the international job market.

Schools are seen by many as a tool to transform children into nationally-minded reconstructionists aimed at repairing the social inequities perceived in today's society. These persons feel that the best way to prepare these children to do real good  is to tie their education into societal contributions such as school-to-work credits and service credits like volunteer requirements. These methods may actually foster a more democratically-minded and socially aware adult who is better equipped to handle national politics than children given rigidly academic educations.

1. “Kansas Evolution Hearings Part 6” http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/kansas/kangaroo6.html Accessed 2012, September 14.
2. Sadker, David Miller. Teachers, Schools, and Society, 2010. Page 151.
3. Image credit: "National Science Education Standards", National Academy Press, Washington, DC. Accessed 2012 Nov 17. [http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962]