US School System

Pinguicha · Aug 2, 2012

I'm writing a YA novel and it's set in a fictional town in the US. As she's a teenager, I'm going to have to insert some info on her school/classes and stuff. My problem is, while I know the gist of how high school works in the US, I'm not 100% comfortable with it.

So if someone could answer the following questions for me, I'd be very welcome!

- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

I'd really love it if someone could help me. Pleeeeeeaseeeeee?

WeaselFire · Aug 2, 2012

Our local school system's info:

http://www.collier.k12.fl.us/

Look for curriculum in the state's school requirements as well.

Jeff

benbenberi · Aug 2, 2012

What's the location of the fictional town? In the US schools are run locally, with most regulation at the state level, so there may be a lot of differences in curricula, rules, requirements, etc. depending on the setting.

Is your school public or private? If private, is it run by a religious organization? Is your school specialized or not? (In some areas there are public schools that offer specialized programs, e.g. in sciences, technology, trades, arts - these tend to be competitive to get into. The default generic high school offers a broad program with a little bit of a lot of stuff.)

There are 2 main sets of college exams, run by different testing companies - the SAT and the ACT. The SAT is more widely used (nearly all schools that require test scores will accept SAT, while ACT is more regional) and has 3 main sections (math, English, & writing) that are each scored 200-800. There are also subject-specific SAT tests people have the option to take. There are also specialized tests that students in high-achieving programs may take that can get you college credit if you do well -- the most common of these are the Advanced Placement exams, but some schools offer an International Baccalaureate program.

To apply to a college you have to pay a fee, complete their application, and provide your test scores & high school grades (via an official transcript). Individual colleges may have unique additional requirements (e.g. an interview). Many colleges these days use a common application form, but some use their own, or have special extra sections for their applicants.

McMich · Aug 2, 2012

1- I graduated from WI and the school standards were less than what I took, but I took classes to get into college- so I took- 4 yr English, 4 yr history/civics, 4yr math, 4yr science, 2 yr phy ed, 4 yr language (I took German), 4 yr music

2- no area's choosen in high school for most normal public schools- charter school are different, but public schools are not. Most students will take what it takes to graduate from the school an

3- yes- classes are mandatory and your parents can actually get jail time if you skip.

4- There were two major dances each year in high school- homecoming (in the fall, associated with football in the midwest) and prom. Prom was only for juniors (16-17yr old) at my school so one person in the date had to be a junior. Homecoming was for anyone. Homecoming court was always athletes, and prom court is a big popularity contest.
5- College is done through the SAT or ACT and grades you got through high school. they are standardized tests.
6- 11th grade I took: AP American History, Pre-calc, AP chem, Choir, Phy-ed, World lit and a grammar class.

ULTRAGOTHA · Aug 2, 2012

Benbenberi's questions are vital. No one can give you good information unless we at least know the state and preferably a real locality in the state for you to base your school system on.

Also the time frame. Is this contemporary or in the past?

In the city I grew up in there were two school districts and they each had different criteria and rules. Both had to conform with state guidelines though.

Pinguicha · Aug 2, 2012

It's contemporary and on West Virginia. I had no idea states had different educational rules!

amschilling · Aug 2, 2012

A few of your questions may be answered here, then: http://wvde.state.wv.us/ That's the Department of Education's website for the state.

This might also be interesting to you, just for some subtle details. It has rankings by state for all sorts of things (enrollment numbers, attendance, teacher/student ratios and salaries, etc.): http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates_FINAL_20120209.pdf

For specific classes and the like, if you can't find them on the DoE site, you might google a real school in that state and see if they have their curriculum up. Some do, and will show you what classes each grade level can take.

buz · Aug 2, 2012

As has been said, the answers to these questions will vary a lot depending on what type of school it is (private, public, religious, boarding) and where it is (down to the county, if it's public--schools in my county were a bit different from other schools in the same state). But I can tell you about my personal experience. I went to a public high school in a suburban area (I'm not comfortable with giving a location).

Pinguicha said:
- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

Math, science, English, and history/social science, all four years. Biology, chemistry and physics were required; you could choose the fourth science (environmental, human anatomy, geosystems, etc). Geometry, Algebra II (algebra I was taught in middle school) and trigonometry were required; you could choose the fourth math (statistics or precalculus, usually). For history the requirements were World History I and II, American History, and Government. Phys ed you only had to take the first two years. Three years of a foreign language were required. The rest was electives--art, computer science, etc.

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)

No. There are some high schools that focus specially on math and science and/or technology, but most high schools are just general education.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)

Yeah. In order to get out of class, you need a note/phone call from a parent. (Although kids do skip class anyway and get in trouble blah blah, I don't really know how that goes because I am not a rebel)

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?

Homecoming and Prom are the major ones. It varies a lot by school how many dances there are...sorry, I'm not much help here. I didn't go to dances or notice when they happened.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

Each college has their own application--although some use a common application that you can send to multiple colleges. You choose which colleges you want to go to, and apply to each of them. In your junior year (11th grade) you take a standardized test called the SATs. (For more info on the SAT, here is the website.) This tests you on reading, writing and mathematical ability, and gives you a score that you use on all your college applications. You also have a grade point average (GPA) that rates your performance in classes on a scale from...zero, I guess (nobody has a zero that I know of) to 4.0 (perfect). You also need recommendation letters from teachers, and usually you write an essay according to the individual college's application.

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

Math, science, history, English, maybe something like art history or psychology or marketing or journalism or whatever electives you want your school to have. In eleventh grade I was taking physics, world history, art history, American history, a foreign language, trigonometry, English, and some other thing I can't remember. In my school, 11th grade was the first year you could take AP courses, so I took some of those. AP courses are more challenging and can be used for college credit. These also look good on college applications, and require testing at the end.

ETA: Saw it's in West Virginia. You may want to pick a county (Google West Virginia counties...or it's probably on the Wikipedia page for West Virginia?) and then Google "(county name) public schools" for information.

Alessandra Kelley · Aug 2, 2012

This is just my understanding. I'm not an expert, but I went through the public high school system in Wisconsin.

Pinguicha said:
I'm writing a YA novel and it's set in a fictional town in the US. As she's a teenager, I'm going to have to insert some info on her school/classes and stuff. My problem is, while I know the gist of how high school works in the US, I'm not 100% comfortable with it.

So if someone could answer the following questions for me, I'd be very welcome!

- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

The normal school day went from 8 AM to 3:30 PM. Classes lasted an hor, with a half hour in the middle for lunch. Typical classes were English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, a Foreign Language, and a choice of one of: Music, Art, Journalism, Drama, Shop (mechanical arts), Computer Programming, etc.

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)

No. However, there is "tracking." It was not presented this way, but the way the kids perceived it was the slower kids got tracked with basic versions of the above classes (except for foreign languages, which they tended not to take) and were not expected to go to college. The average kids took average classes. And the bright kids were tracked into advanced versions of the classes. But everybody took the same English-Math-Science-Social Studies-Phys Ed sorts of classes.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)

Yes. Some are optional (like Art or Music), but all the basic classes must be taken.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?

In my experience they were awkward, loud, and poorly planned. They tended not to be formal, except for prom.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

The SAT was the standard a few decades ago, and still seems to be important today. This is their home page. They take almost four hours and cost $50 (rough on low income kids), and so many colleges rely on them for admissions that they are a major source of stress for high schoolers. Their Wikipedia page explains the scoring and other aspects.

Most people take the SAT in 11th grade so that they have plenty of time to apply to college.

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

Depends. If she's on the college track, some sort of advanced English reading of Great Novels and writing papers about them; Chemistry and/or Physics; Algebra or Trigonometry; World History; a foreign language (the most popular are French, German, and Spanish); mandatory gym class; and something to show the colleges that she's well-rounded, like Music, Art, Journalism, Computer Programming, or Drama.

I'd really love it if someone could help me. Pleeeeeeaseeeeee?

mayqueen · Aug 2, 2012

I grew up in rural Ohio, which is similar in many ways to some less urban areas in West Virginia. (My girlfriend grew up in WV, and we've compared early experiences.)

Because I was pretty smart and in a very small town, I got to do what in Ohio is called post-secondary enrollment option. I took college courses for high school credit. I still had to fulfill my high school requirements, but I got a little more flexibility in what sort of classes I took. For example, I think we had to take 4 units (1 unit = 1 year) of English. Instead of doing freshman English, sophomore English, etc, I took things like Shakespeare, Poetry Writing, etc.

Our requirements were based on on units. Because it was a small school, we mostly took all the same classes. But you could stop taking math classes, for example, after you fulfilled your 3 units. I kept taking classes. You got electives, so I took art. We had to take either shop class or home-ec (oh, gendered electives!). As I recall, we had to have a certain amount of language units, but we only had a Spanish teacher. So everyone took Spanish.

Another option, besides PSEOP or traditional high school, was the technical school. I forget right now what we called it. Oh! The "career center". You could take classes there your last two years of school and end up able to be certified as a tradesperson (electrician, etc) or a medical assistant.

Classes were mandatory, even my college ones. The professors had to report if I skipped. It was a small high school, so if you tried to sneak out, people figured it out. We couldn't even leave for lunch.

We had I think maybe four or five dances a year. Homecoming, winter formal, spring, whatever. All the dances were open to anyone in the high school except prom. You could only go to prom if you were a junior or senior, or were asked by a junior or senior. Prom was at a part center or other venue. The dances were in the gym. We got dressed up, but not really, like no buying of new dresses. I never had a date; I just went with friends.

I had to take the ACT to get into college. It is 0 - 36 and is standardized. It's been a minute since I took it, but I think > 20, you could get into most schools, > 25 got more selective, and > 30 you started getting financial aid from schools for testing well.

Pinguicha · Aug 2, 2012

Wow! Thank you so much, you guys! You're complete life-savers!

And ouch! $50 for SATs? Our national exams (which, I suppose, are the equivalent) are €10 for each subject (1/2 in 11th grade, 2/3 in the 12th), but if you have low income, I believe you take them for free.

Because I was pretty smart and in a very small town, I got to do what in Ohio is called post-secondary enrollment option. I took college courses for high school credit. I still had to fulfill my high school requirements, but I got a little more flexibility in what sort of classes I took. For example, I think we had to take 4 units (1 unit = 1 year) of English. Instead of doing freshman English, sophomore English, etc, I took things like Shakespeare, Poetry Writing, etc.

Ah. This was actually an aspect I did not understand and forgot to mention. Thanks for clearing that up!

Classes were mandatory, even my college ones. The professors had to report if I skipped. It was a small high school, so if you tried to sneak out, people figured it out. We couldn't even leave for lunch.

Even in College? God, I'd be so flunked right now if it were the same in mine. I rarely go to theoretical classes as they're mostly a waste of time.

In my experience they were awkward, loud, and poorly planned. They tended not to be formal, except for prom.

LOL! Best description of dances... EVER!

Again, thank you so much, you all. Our school system is completely nation-wide and I had absolutely no idea that in the US it varied according to the school being public, private and according to the state and county.

jaksen · Aug 2, 2012

Keep in mind the USA is a huge country, with fifty states, and those states have their own public education rules, requirements and expectations. It's sort of like fifty little countries, all with their own rules, laws, etc. There is a push for a national curriculum, uniform rules and etc., but at this time the states are still fairly individual. States in one region will be more similar than others farther away. For example, the educational systems of the New England states will be more similar to one another, than say, to Florida or Texas. Also, within those states the towns and cities will each have their own curricula or expectations. Many states do have 'guidelines' or requirements, but if a town in Vermont wants to require a 'History of Vermont' course for all its high school students, it can do so. The US has always valued the fact that we can exert local control - to some degree - over how we educate our children.

As for me, I went to a small town public high school. There were 160 students in my graduating class. It was in a middle to upper-middle class town about 30 miles south of Boston. Being a MA school, the curriculum was fairly traditional and liberal (for its time.)

I later taught in the same school as a teacher for 35 years, and things did not change much in those years. State testing was added, but otherwise, the curriculum and required courses I took were the same ones kids are still taking today. (For example, the books required in English classes in Grades 7-12 were the same ones I read. A few new, or contemporary authors have been added, but kids read Tom Sawyer in Grade 7, and the Red Pony in Grade 8, and Tale of Two Cities in Grade 9, etc. etc. in 1965 through 2012.)

Here are you questions:

I'm writing a YA novel and it's set in a fictional town in the US. As she's a teenager, I'm going to have to insert some info on her school/classes and stuff. My problem is, while I know the gist of how high school works in the US, I'm not 100% comfortable with it.

So if someone could answer the following questions for me, I'd be very welcome!

- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?
Students need four years of English, three of science, three of math and two of Social Studies. Gym (PE) was required every day when I attended (for all students) but this requirement was relaxed a bit when the state required more courses to be taken. Please note this was the mainstream or ordinary town high school, not a technical high school. (Having said that, the school has some of the strictest requirements in the state. There are a large number of students taking AP classes (Advanced Placement, which are equivalent to first-year courses in college.) We also had a very high acceptance rate for students into colleges, incl. private and 'Ivy League' schools. In the years I taught many of my students went on to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. Many of them, to my delight, became scientists, doctors, authors, politicians, etc.)

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)
No

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)
Four years of English, three of math and three of science, two in social studies (which includes history.) A state requirement is that all students take American History. Usually this is in Grade 11.

Also, starting in 2003, all students have to take a state test in English and Math to graduate. (Science was added a few years later.)

Other classes you can take would include Music, Chorus, Orchestra, Band. All sorts of Art Classes. Home Economics. Business courses such as Accounting. Computer Classes of various types and levels. Foreign Languages, which in my town were only Spanish, French and Latin, though there was talk of adding Chinese and/or German when I retired. There were many science electives, math electives, English and History electives, as well. Every student in recent years also has to complete a Community Service project which can be anything from helping your former elementary teacher with activities to working in a nursing home, cleaning up a park, etc.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?
When I taught we had a dance about once a month. Some were school-sponsored; others are sponsored by the town or other groups. (Any group outside a town or school group must get permission.) Some dances were for Grade 9 only, or Seniors only, middle-school kids, etc. If you had an outside date, you had to 'register' him or her and they had to be the same age as an ordinary Grade 9 student, or whatever age the dance was for. That is, a 15-year old girl dating a 19-year old boy from a nearby town could NOT invite him. There were always police at the dances, one or two on duty. Dances were over at ten (10:00 PM) for younger kids; eleven (11:00 PM) for older ones. Chaperones were teachers (paid) and/or parent volunteers (not paid.) Teachers were paid for this job as it was part of the teacher contract with the town.

When I taught we had a few drug issues during dances, kids getting sick or arriving at the dance drunk, so the dances were suspended for a few years until those kids moved through the system. (These were kids aged 12-14.) We had to increase the number of chaperones and place parents in rest rooms to watch for kids passing drugs or pills around. When I retired, dances had been reinstituted and as far as I know, there's been no 'major' problems with the dances in the last four years.

There was a formal dance for every high school year. For example, Grade 9 students (known as Freshmen) had the Freshmen Dinner Dance. Grade 10 (the Sophomores) had a Sophomore Social. Grades 11 and 12 combined, had a Prom. In towns with larger classes, there would be a Grade 11 or Junior Prom, and Grade 12, or Senior Prom.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

You follow the application procedure for the college you want to attend. Some colleges require students to take the SAT test; others want the SAT test plus an essay. Most want an interview with the student, sometimes with a parent present, sometimes not. The application process varies very widely from state to state, college to college, private to public college, etc. When I applied to various colleges, most required a College Board test in the subject you planned to major in. I took the College Board test in Biology, which was my planned major.

I really can't answer how the tests are scored.

ULTRAGOTHA · Aug 2, 2012

Attending every class every day is usually mandatory. States get Federal money based on attendance numbers so unexcused absences are not encouraged. Too many missed classes or days can result in a visit by the truancy officers. West Virginia appears to have a problem in this area.

Wikipedia has a list of high schools in West Virginia.

Little Anonymous Me · Aug 2, 2012

Pinguicha said:
I'm writing a YA novel and it's set in a fictional town in the US. As she's a teenager, I'm going to have to insert some info on her school/classes and stuff. My problem is, while I know the gist of how high school works in the US, I'm not 100% comfortable with it.

So if someone could answer the following questions for me, I'd be very welcome!

- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

For me: 4 math, 4 English, 4 Science, 4 Humanities (geography, history, etc), 2 Foreign Language, 2 gym, and 4 elective

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)

At my school, yes.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)

All are mandatory. You can take some online, but you can't skip.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?

There's homecoming, winter formal, and prom. Never attended one, so I can't help any more.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

SATs/ACTs. GPA. State requirements. For scoring, I suggest you go on their websites, they explain much better than I. Also, which test she takes depends on region. ACT is most common in the South. SAT is most common in the North.

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

That REALLY depends on if she's in honors and where she lives. I went to school in Florida. Georgia is only a 30 minute jaunt away, and their requirements are completely different. So are teh standard vs honors classes. SO different.

I'd really love it if someone could help me. Pleeeeeeaseeeeee?

Sorry I could not be more helpful, and sorry if I repeated anything someone else said.

I graduated high school class of 2011, so my memories are quite fresh if you have any more questions.

EDIT:

Pinguicha said:
It's contemporary and on West Virginia. I had no idea states had different educational rules!

States have differences? Try counties. Every single one is different. The one I live in may start school 08/20/2012. The one next door may pick 08/13/2012. And another one may start in September. :tongue

ArtsyAmy · Aug 2, 2012

"Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)"

You've gotten a great deal of information, but I don't think anyone touched on the fact that actually, classes are not mandatory in the U.S.A. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. Thousands and thousands and thousands of young people do not attend school in this country. Homeschooling regulations vary greatly by state. I think some states don't require registration (so it's impossible to know how many kids do not go off to school); others require basic registration information; other states require mandatory testing, curriculum approval, educational records approval, etc. The level of "schoolishness" runs from basically doing school at home (with textbooks, regular hours, etc.) to unschooling, which can mean no textbooks and kids deciding what they're going to study and how (may be surprising to hear that it really works, but it does--I've seen it work). Homeschooled kids regularly get into respected universities. Colleges usually require homeschooled applicants to have studied the same high school-level subjects as schooled applicants (they can study material at home, take college classes during high school years, etc.), take the same standardized tests, etc. (I should add that if a student up to a certain age--different in different states--is not following homeschooling regulations--for example, being registered as a homeschooler if that's required by the state government, then going to school is mandatory and not going to school can result in truancy issues for students and their parents.) This may be more that you're interested in knowing, but if you'd like more information, feel free to PM me.

Also, students who go to high school (not talking about homeschooled students here) often do get to skip some classes in the sense that there are often elective courses. Some students might skip art classes and take choir instead, for example. Or a student who doesn't plan on going to college might opt out of a non-required science course and take a study hall instead. (At least this was the case when I was in public high school. In case you're not aware, a study hall is basically where you sit in the classroom and study whatever you want for other classes, or, if the teacher permits, just talk with your friends.) When I was in school, I think a person could opt to take one study hall per school year--so six classes and one study hall each year instead of seven "real" classes.

Hope things go well with your story.

jaksen · Aug 3, 2012

Me again, just wanting to address 'study hall.' In MA you'd find few study halls as the state ruled they were not 'time on learning,' and each student had to spend so many minutes a day 'learning.' The town I worked in got rid of study hall so that students had to be somewhere, learning, all day except for lunch. (I actually learned a lot in lunch.)

Some other things. For a brief time the town I live in (not where I taught), experimented with an 'open campus' idea. That is, if you weren't in class, you could leave the school grounds. The school was located near the center of town and a large state college, so the idea was these kids would walk around, socialize, eat at the local places, etc. Problem was, a lot of kids left and didn't return, so the 'open campus' was done away with.

But again, as many of us said, there is no 'typical' high school. Any kind of school you might portray will have its detractors who will claim, oh no, they couldn't/wouldn't do that in my old high school! There is just so much variation.

If I were writing a story similar to the op's, I'd model it on what I know personally, my own high school, whether it be private or public or boarding school, whatever. (We even have military-style high schools in the US; they are private and are usually residential.) We have schools in large cities that focus on the arts, or maths and sciences. We have schools in most states that are technical or vocational, that is, they focus on providing working skills for the student. (Though the student will also have to take basic English, math and science course.) The sheer variety of different types of high schools in the US is mind-boggling, but no matter what kind of you start writing about, someone is going to say, oh, no, not my school!

mayqueen · Aug 3, 2012

Pinguicha said:
Even in College? God, I'd be so flunked right now if it were the same in mine. I rarely go to theoretical classes as they're mostly a waste of time.

Oh just because of the special program. Since I was in high school technically, the state was paying my tuition. They didn't want me to screw up and waste their money, or sign up for a class and blow it off. Once I got to actual college and paid my own way, I skipped classes not infrequently.

jaksen · Aug 3, 2012

Re. skipping classes in 'my' high school, and most others in MA due to recent legislation...

If a student is absent for 15 or more classes in a year (7 in a half year) they get no credit for that class. Exceptions for medical reasons but must have a doctor's note. No other excuses allowed.

When I started teaching in said town it was nothing for a parent to take a child out of school for a month to 'tour Europe.' When asked, why can't you wait and do this during summer vacation, parents would say, oh the heat! Oh, the expense! Oh, how can we ski!

But said parents would cry, moan and complain if their child suffered due to the loss of instruction for one or more weeks. I can recall writing up lesson plans - oh, yes, Mrs. M, little Jimmy WILL do the lessons you spent hours preparing! He can do them on the plane, the bus, the train, in the hotel. But rarely did this ever happen.

Now teachers do not have to provide lessons for children on vacation during regular school time. But we do have to give 'makeup work' when the child returns. They are to get that work finished quite quickly, too, often with a few days.

Result, few parents take their children off on lengthy vacations other than during the three weeks (one at Christmas, one each in February and April) during the school year and the two months of summer.

Now keep in mind everything I write here could vary from town to town, even in the state of MA, except for the state requirement regarding lengthy absences. And if a child is very ill, tutors at town/city expense are provided to help the child keep up with his/her classmates.

Just more stuff I keep thinking of as I recall how much I liked teaching...but like retirement better.

Cyia · Aug 3, 2012

Pinguicha said:
- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

Math (Geometry or Algebra in lower classes, Trig/pre-calculus an calculus in upper classes

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)

Not unless you attend a "magnet school," which is a public school you have to apply to that has a specific focus. You CAN choose your electives, so if you've got a particular interest, you can pursue it.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)

Yes. If you miss more than a set number of classes (usually 5) per semester, then you have to come in on weekends or stay late to make them up so the school doesn't lose money.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?

We had 5th quarter (dances after football games - informal, Homecoming - formal, and Prom - ultra formal)

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

You have to pass an "exit test" in 11th grade here, which tests basic knowledge required for graduation. You have to take the test until you pass, or you're stuck.

SAT and ACT are nationally available tests for entrance aptitude into universities. If you're going to a targeted university like Cal Tech or MIT, then you'd also take the SAT II in whichever science or math you're focusing your college studies on.

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

English Lit, World History, Pre-Calculus or Calculus, Foreign Language (French, German or Spanish in most schools), and Science (Chemistry or Anatomy & Physiology here), along with 1 or 2 electives / sports.

11th grade is also when you take the Pre-SAT, for scholarships, and the ASVAB if you're interested in military service. She'd also be writing essays and filling out applications for universities.

.

Sunflowerrei · Aug 6, 2012

- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?
English, math, Social Studies, Science (earth science, biology, chemistry; physics was optional); foreign language (I took French); gym for 7 semesters and health for 1 semester. An art class and a music class. Also, because I'm from New York, I had to take several (about 9, I think) of the most annoying test in the universe, The Regents Exam, in order to graduate high school. Basically, you take a class or a sequence of classes and then at the end of that class or that sequence, you take the Regents. It's statewide.

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)
Kind of. In New York City, students apply to different schools. A student can choose to go to their local neighborhood school or they can take an exam for a specialized high school like Stuyvesant or audition for a performing arts school. Or they can apply to a program that another high school has. I applied and got into a Law and Humanities program in my high school. So I got extra English and history classes and a constitutional law class.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)
Yeah. You miss too many, you fail. You miss the Regents exam (if the class was a Regents class), you fail.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?
Never went to one. We basically thought of all school dances as lame. And I didn't go to my prom. I went out with some friends instead.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

I took the pre-SAT in junior year (11th grade) and then my first SAT later on in junior year. I took it again my first semester of senior year to improve my score. Some take another test, the ACT, instead or in addition to the SAT. Combined with that score (if you take the SAT twice, they combine your higher scores together) were grades from school, application, application fee, essay, recommendation letters and Advanced Placement exam grades...off they went to the colleges.

Advanced Placement is a year-long course resulting in an exam in May. They're supposed to be like taking college-level classes in high school and the exam gives you college credit.

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?

I was in an honors program for the humanities, so I was taking a regular English class (with a two-day Regents in January of 11th grade) and an extra English class. I had American History and Constitutional Law. I had math. I had gym. I had French. I'd finished science by then and 11th was the last year I took math. I think 11th grade was the first year we were able to choose elective courses. I didn't take any AP classes that year, but I was doing an SAT prep course.

cornflake · Aug 6, 2012

SAT and ACT are nationally available tests for entrance aptitude into universities. If you're going to a targeted university like Cal Tech or MIT, then you'd also take the SAT II in whichever science or math you're focusing your college studies on.

Many schools, general but top tier, require SAT IIs. They're not just math and science based, there are a ton of languages (including things like Hebrew) available, and no school I know of requires any specific ones (the requirements are just that you take some). Non-language subjects are -

Math (two different levels)
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
Literature
U.S. History
World History

Most schools that require them require students take two or three of their choice. All schools will accept them, so some kids applying to a mix of schools, or even to schools that don't require any with the application, will take some to show mastery and have an extra impressive score on the application (provided their score is impressive, heh).

Mostly SAT kids take them, ACT kids stick with the ACT. Schools that require SAT IIs usually require them with the SAT not ACT.

Flagship · Aug 6, 2012

Pinguicha said:
- What sort of classes do you have to take to graduate "the normal way" (ie not with a GED)?

- Do you choose an area in high school? (in Portugal, we do. Mine, for instance, was Science and Technology, which focused on Math, Physics and Chemistry and Biology and Geology)
Not particularly. You tend to have 2 elective slots in your schedule, the rest is more or less predefined. We could choose between a couple different math classes or whether we wanted chemistry, biology, or physics. But there wasn't a whole lot of choice when it really comes down to an area of study.

- Are classes mandatory? (stupid question, but over here we can skip a number of classes without justification. I was wondering how many, if at all, it'd be in the US)
I don't know about other states, but Washington has this thing called the Becca Bill where if you skip school more than 10 days in a semester, they take you to court.

- How do the school dances work? Aside from Prom, we don't really have school dances and whenever I watch an American show, there's almost always a dance at some point. Winter formal, random party, and prom even though you're only 16?
They tend to have a few major ones, like winter, tolo (Sadie Hawkins), spring, and prom. It's never really set in stone which ones are formal, it's more up to the student body. There's also homecoming if you have sports teams. You can get in to prom if you are a senior or if you are invited by a senior.

- How do you get into College? Do you take specific tests according to the college you want to apply to, or are there some sort of national exams everyone undertakes? How does exam scoring work?

- Also, my character is in the 11th grade. What sort of classes would she be taking?
She could possibly be finished with math classes, most likely be taking a science class, government, history, english, and an elective or two.

I'd really love it if someone could help me. Pleeeeeeaseeeeee?

I didn't graduate highschool in the normal way, so I don't have all the answers for you. I was there up until Junior year (11th)

Debbie V · Aug 6, 2012

Most states are adopting the common core standards. They will likely be in place by the time your book comes out, so here's a link to som info.

http://www.corestandards.org/

Sunflowerrei · Aug 7, 2012

I feel like I should also mention going to school in shifts. It probably won't affect you if you are setting it in a regional high school in West Virginia, but in my high school and in many others across the country, overcrowding is a problem. So we were split into different shifts. Seniors went to school from 7:30 to 1:30, other grades came in at different times in the morning and ended later.

jaksen · Aug 8, 2012

There is also block scheduling to consider. Many schools, esp. middle and high schools, are experimenting with this, or have implemented it altogether. Students spend up to 90 min. in one subject area, have a brief break, then move on to another 90 min. class. The entire 90 minutes is divided up into diff. activities, perhaps a brief lecture by the instructor, then some type of group activity, then a silent activity - reading, writing, or something else, then a brief video, then perhaps working on projects (on laptops, tablets, etc.) Maybe there's also a game in there or something that gets everyone moving around.

In this system, you'd have English perhaps twice a week, etc. You can't have every class every day. There are also modified versions where students are in class an hour. (In many high schools, though, students take every class every day and class lengths vary from around 35 to 40 minutes.)

Some systems incorporated this idea (block scheduling or some variant of it) beautifully, so students can really concentrate say, on English, for a longer period of time. Other school districts made a terrible mishmosh of it, didn't train their staff, and ended the practice after a year or two. But when talking about the sciences, it's brilliant. Oftentimes a lab experiment takes a long time, so you can set it up, sit down and read or talk, watch a video, then go back to monitoring your experiment. I wish my system had at least tried this when I was still teaching.

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