1.Introduction

The United States has had a great respect for education from its earliest time.Even before the American Revolution，several outstanding colleges had been founded.Now the entire nation is divided into thousands of school districts，each provides a free schooling of 12years to its residents.In fall 2009，about 75.2million people were enrolled in American schools and colleges.About 4.7million people were employed as elementary and secondary school teachers or as college faculty，in full-time equivalents.Other professional，administrative，and support staff at educational institutions totaled 5.4million.

Under the US Constitution，the federal government has no power to make laws in the field of education.It is the state government that is responsible for education within its own territory.The federal government can give financial help but not orders in education.Each state has an educational administration，and the state authorities lay down general principles concerning the organization of schools and such matters as the ages of compulsory education.Schools are provided and managed by local community boards of education，whose members are elected.Most schools are run on taxes levied by local districts and states.

Education has a very honored place in American society.Parents of every kind of background and of all income groups send their children to the local high schools.It is an article of faith in the American Dream¹ that a good education will enable a child to achieve a higher standard of living than his or her parents.This faith also accounts for the very law illiteracy rate（about one percent）in the United States.