Elementary schools in the United States

Did You Know?

• Authority to regulate education resides constitutionally with individual states; the U.S. Congress and federal Department of Education have limited direct authority.
• Most states have predetermined the number of minutes taught within a given content area.

Curriculum

Primary education in the United States focuses on basic academic learning, vocational skills, and socialization, introducing children to knowledge and behavioral adjustment needed for success in life and secondary school. Students typically learn basic arithmetic, sometimes rudimentary algebra, English proficiency including grammar, spelling, and vocabulary, and fundamentals of other subjects. Individual states identify learning standards for all curriculum areas, including mathematics, social studies, science, physical development, fine arts, and reading.

The No Child Left Behind Act mandated that such standards exist at the state level. Students often remain in one classroom throughout the school day except for physical education, library, music, and art classes. Public elementary curriculum is determined by individual school districts, which select guides and textbooks reflecting state learning standards and benchmarks. Social studies may include key events, documents, and concepts in American history and geography, and sometimes state or local history.

Science topics vary from physical sciences like physics and chemistry to biological sciences such as biology, ecology, and physiology. There is discussion about curricula that emphasize reading, writing, and math, which are specifically tested for improvement. Since the No Child Left Behind Act, social studies and science teaching has been underdeveloped in elementary programs, partly because teachers are trained as generalists and because reading, writing, and math proficiency greatly affect performance in other content areas.

Teaching

Elementary school teachers are trained with emphasis on human cognitive and psychological development and principles of curriculum development and instruction, typically earning a bachelor's or master's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Training programs encourage moving away from traditional learning techniques such as textbooks and testing-based learning, though some critics argue teaching should follow one method. Some claim focusing on social-emotional learning takes time from core subjects.

Training programs cover educational theories including constructivist, behavioral, and socio-cultural approaches, and develop skills in classroom management, differentiation for diverse learning needs, and communication with students, parents, and colleagues. Certification standards are determined by individual states, with colleges and universities setting the rigor of education for future teachers; some states require content area tests and instructional skills tests for certification.

Public elementary teachers typically instruct between twenty and thirty students with diverse learning needs, including those with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Act and those who are cognitively, athletically, or artistically gifted. Teachers use various methods to gain pupil attention, including humor; cartoons, for example, can capture ideas in one image.

COVID-19 impact on learning

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many U.S. schools to quickly shift to remote learning, and by the end of the month every public school in the country had closed. Only schools in Montana and Wyoming opened toward the end of the school year. By the start of the 2021–22 school year, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, and Texas required in-person instruction for all or some grades. Educators had to learn to aid students through a screen and take on a greater workload, while parents, if possible, stayed home to assist with remote learning.

The pandemic reduced learning time. Students' attention spans online were not the same as in the classroom, resulting in poorer performance. Many students lacked technology for remote learning and could not obtain it themselves. Parents had to become active participants in their children's education.

Most elementary students cannot sustain attention for a full day in front of a computer, so educators needed to engage them properly; simplicity in remote learning was important, with curriculum easy for students to access. Future elementary educators now have curriculum changes to better prepare for pandemic-era teaching, with a major focus on technology skills. Knowing how to properly use technology became a key factor in K–6 learning and teaching, as the pandemic caused issues for instruction of young learners.

History

Originally, elementary school was synonymous with primary education, taking children from kindergarten through grade 8, while secondary school covered grades 9–12. This system was the norm in the United States until after World War I, as most children in the mostly rural country could go no further than grade 8, and high schools were often not accessible. As the population became more urban and suburban, the one-room schoolhouse gave way to multi-room schoolhouses and then multiple schools, producing the junior high school as transitional preparation between elementary and high school.

Elementary schools typically operated grades kindergarten through 6; junior high covered grades 7 through 9; and senior high operated grades 10 through 12. Grade 9 marked the beginning of high school for GPA calculation. During this period, state departments of education certified teachers for primary or secondary education. A Primary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades K through 8 and major and minor subjects in grade 9.

A Secondary School Certificate qualified the holder to teach any subject in grades 7 and 8 and major and minor subjects in grades 9 through 12. Certain subjects like music, art, physical, and special education could be conferred as K through 12 Teaching Certificates.