美国没有全国性学校体制，并且除军事院校外，学校也不由联邦政府来管理。
美国的教育十分复杂，一个学校可以使用多个不同的公共机构或私立机构的资源。例如，一名学生可以在一所符合州规定课程的私立高中就读，而该高中的理科课程可能由联邦基金提供资助，学校的运动队可以在本地的公有场地上开展活动。
教育是美国空前开放、空前多样化和空前包容的社会的一个方面。公共教育不断改善。但是，要实现全民机会平等和缩小贫富差异以及白人与有色人种的差异，远非一日之功。通过不断调整和改善教育制度，我们的国家就会变得更加强大，能够继续和其他国家一起为全世界人民带来和平、繁荣和教育。
美国教育部在题为《2000年教育状况》的年度报告中强调指出，有证据表明当前的政策和计划都在正确的轨道上。其他指标显示了决策者和教育工作者需要解决的、关系到我国在信息时代继续发展和繁荣的问题。报告发现，上大学比以前任何时候都更有好处。在1970年，取得学士学位的年轻美国男性的平均收入比只有高中毕业文凭的人高24％；到1998年，男性的“大学红利”上升到了56％。对美国女性来说，“大学红利”则从1970年的82％上升至1998年的100％。也就是说，大学毕业的美国女性收入要比没上过大学的女性同事高一倍。另外，现在越来越多的学生是直接从高中升入大学的。
仅在1992年到1998年间，这一比例就从62％增长到了66％，但低收入家庭子女的比例要低一些。我们的研究表明，提供专业课程准备和鼓励可有助于消灭这种差距。要升入大学，学生们必须在高中苦读数学和理科，还有初中的入门学科，即从六年级一直到八年级。这些发现为两项行动提供了有力的依据：为大学生提供经济援助，帮助贫困学生提早考虑上大学并为此做准备。
今天，刻苦学习理科和数学、为上大学做准备的美国学生比以前多得多。在1982年，11％的高中毕业生完成了三角法、微积分预修课和微积分等课程。到1998年，完成这类高等课程的学生达到27％。与此同时，选修高等理科课程的学生比例则从31％增加到了60％。
《2000年教育状况》还对更小的学生做了调查，调查发现幼儿园的孩子们中有66％认识字母，这意味着多数孩子已经准备开始学习阅读，但有三分之一还没有做好准备。我们可以通过为更多的儿童提供有效的学前项目以及鼓励家长和孩子一起阅读来提高这个比例。我们取得的成就令人鼓舞，但同时我们还在努力加大力度，支持和扩大儿童的早期学习和家长的参与度。
公立学校的学生人数不仅在上升，而且在发生变化。从1972年到1998年，西班牙裔入学比例从6％增加到15％。报告提出建议，随着非英语母语的学生人数显著上升，我们要做好准备，帮助英语水平有限的学生取得学业上的成功。

一般
USA Education in Brief (PDF 496 KB)
U.S. Government Manual: U.S. Department of Education (PDF 49 KB)
Condition of Education  Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and Legislation (CRS Report) (PDF 211 KB) (U.S. Department of Education)

College and University Education in the United States (Electronic Journal, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) (PDF 2.35 MB)  Portrait of the USA: A Diverse Educational System (published by Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) (PDF 59 KB)
Education in the United States: The Pre-University Years (Electronic Journal, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) (PDF 640 KB)
Community Colleges in the United States (Electronic Journal, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State) (PDF 272 KB)

Accreditation in the United States (U.S. Department of Education)
Accreditation and Recognition in the United States (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) (PDF 165 KB)

The Federal Role In Education (U.S. Department of Education)
No Child Left Behind: Overview of President Bush’s Education Reform Plan (PDF 1 MB)
Brown v. Board of Education: The Supreme Court Decision that Changed a Nation (An editor traces the origins of one of the most important decisions in the history of U.S. constitutional law) (PDF 174 KB)

Indicators of School Crime and Safety (National Center for Education Statistics)
Projections of Education Statistics to 2016 (National Center for Education Statistics)
Brown University graduates pass through the Van Winkle Gates during the procession before commencement ceremonies in Providence, R.I., Sunday, May 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

The United States does not have a national school system. Nor, with the exception of the military academies, are these schools run by the federal government.
American education is a complex topic because a single school can draw upon resources from several different public and private institutions. For example, a student may attend a private high school whose curriculum must meet standards set by the state, some of whose science courses may be financed by federal funds, and whose sports teams may play on local, publicly owned fields.
Education is an aspect of U.S. society that is more open, more diverse and more inclusive than ever before in our history. Public education is changing for the better. On the other hand, there is much more to be done to fulfill the American promise of equal opportunity for all and to close the gaps between rich and poor, white and non-white. By continuing to adapt and improve our system of education, the United States can become a stronger nation and continue to work with other nations to bring peace, prosperity and education to citizens throughout the world.
“The Condition of Education 2000,” the U.S. Department of Education annual report, pinpointed evidence that current policies and programs are on the right track. Other indicators highlight areas that policymakers and educators need to address so our nation can continue to grow and prosper in the Information Age.
The report found that the benefits of attending college are greater today than ever before. In 1970, the average young American male with a bachelor’s degree had an income 24 percent higher than that of one possessing merely a high school diploma. As of 1998, the “college bonus” for men had risen to 56 percent. For young American women, the “college bonus” rose from 82 percent in 1970 to 100 percent in 1998. That means that young women in the United States who graduated from college earned twice as much as their female peers who never attended college. In addition, more students are going directly from high school to college.
Between 1992 and 1998 alone, that percentage rose from 62 percent to 66 percent. But the rates are lower for students from low-income families. Our research has found that providing academic preparation and encouragement can help to close this gap. To get on the path to college, students need to take rigorous high school courses in mathematics and science, and gateway courses in middle school — that is, from grades six through eight. These findings offer strong evidence for two courses of action: to provide financial aid for students attending college, and to help disadvantaged children in their early teens think about and prepare for college.
Today, many more students in the United States are taking rigorous science and math courses that prepare them for college than in years past. In 1982, 11 percent of high school graduates completed courses like trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus. By 1998, 27 percent had completed that type of advanced coursework. Over the same period, the percentage taking advanced science courses rose from 31 percent to 60 percent.
The Condition of Education 2000 also includes research on younger students. It notes that 66 percent of children entering kindergarten can recognize letters of the alphabet. That means most are ready to begin the process of learning to read, but one-third are not. We can raise this number by providing effective pre-school programs for more children and by encouraging parents to read with their children. While we are encouraged by the results, we are also working to increase our efforts to support and expand early childhood learning and parental involvement.
The student population in our public schools is not only growing but also changing. Hispanic enrollment increased from six percent in 1972 to 15 percent in 1998. With significant increases in the number of students who may not speak English at home, this report suggests that we need to be prepared to help students with limited English proficiency to succeed in school.