Education Systems: US and Europe
Compared
France, Germany, UK and Finland
Institute For European Studies
Dr. Luise McCarty
Associate Professor
Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
Indiana University School of Education
October 28, 2013
lmcccarty@indiana.edu
Comparing the US Education System with those
of Four European Countries: What can we
learn?
Comparing and contrasting different systems of
education reveal strengths and weaknesses,
similarities and differences in each.
Comparison fosters appreciation of the history,
culture, goals and societal values that create the
unique features of each education system.
Reforms reveal current concerns with education
in each country.
Caveats
• I will introduce the structure of each country’s
education system and highlight unique features
that are different from those of the US.
• I will not compare the four countries to each
other. They are all different, given their histories,
but they are also part of the European Union and
share common goals, such as lifelong learning,
student exchange, and Bologna alignment of
higher education.
Population
5.3 Million
Population
62.4 Million
Population
81.7 Million
Population
65 Million
Topics to be compared:
• Structure of elementary and secondary schools
• Unique structural features (child care, early
childhood, vocational education, funding,
curriculum, testing, teacher status)
• Integration of immigrants and minorities
• Religious instruction
• Access to higher education
• Status of Teachers
Comparing the Systems
• Governance: Who has primary authority to
control education?
• Is the system centralized/decentralized,
uniform or differentiated. If differentiated, at
what level?
• Who is primarily responsible for funding
education?
• Who sets the curricular guidelines?
• Frequency of testing and by whom?
Country
Governance/Centra Primary
lization
Funding
Source
Curricular
Control
Testing
+ frequently
- infrequently
Focus for
discussion
US
Local
State
Charter
Decentralized
Local
State
State
Local
State
National
++
France
National
Centralized
National
National
National
--
Early childhood
education
Immigrants
UK
Mostly municipal &
independent/Privat
e
Differentiated
National
National
National
++
Differentiation
of schools
Devolution
Germany
State
Centralized
State
State
State
-
Vocational
Education
Religious
instruction
Finland
Municipal
Decentralized
Municipality
National
National
-
Child care
Teacher status
2009 PISA Results
Science
Reading
Math
1
Shanghai
556
1
Shanghai
575
1
Shanghai
600
2
S. Korea
539
2
Finland
554
2
Singapore
562
3
Finland
536
14 Germany
520
6
Finland
541
17 US
500
16 UK
514
16
Germany
513
19 Germany
497
23 US
502
22
France
497
21 France
496
27 France
498
28
UK
492
26 UK
494
501
31
US
487
OECD Avg
496
OECD Avg
493
OECD Avg
Gross Domestic Product, Spending per School-Aged Child and Teacher
Salaries (Source: OECD ilibrary.org)
Country
US
France
UK
Germany
Finland
Teacher Salaries
2008
US
England
France
Germany
Finland
GDP per head/US$ 2009 Annual education
spending per school
aged child 2009
46,927
7,743
33,794
5,541
34,772
5,834
35,638
4,682
35,540
5.653
Primary after 15
yrs. of teaching
44,172
44,630
31,927
54,184
38,217
Lower secondary
after 15 yrs
44,000
44,630
34,316
59,159
40,953
Upper secondary
after 15 yrs
47,317
44,630
34,593
63,634
44,919
US
Comprehensive
System
Societal Values Regarding Education
and Purposes of Schooling
• US: focus on individual growth
• Prepare for future career
• Become a contributing citizen to your
community
• Demonstrate your knowledge through tests
• Sports develops character, loyalty to school
and community, and group spirit
The French System
The French Centralized System of
Education
• Originated by Napoleon: primary/secondary/tertiary
+ vocational (introduced later)
• Teachers are national state employees
• Centralized national curriculum
• Early childhood education very important
• Primary education similar to US, incl. subjects
• Very different secondary system, mandatory to age
16, then differentiation into tracks
• Testing: Exit exams
What are Current Educational Issues in
France?
• Early childhood education a political issue
• Reinstating teachers and putting more in early
childhood education
• Change school day back to 4.5 day school
week for primary schools
• Releasing a secular code of conduct to enforce
a secular morality > head scarves
• Immigrants and religious instruction
Unique Features of the UK Educational System
• Dramatic reforms of schools since 1989 to reflect
market values: choice, competition, performance
• Devolution 1998: Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland
have their own education system with the Scottish
deviating the most from the English system
• Great variety of school types (equivalent to US
charter schools) in the public and
private/independent sector
• School uniforms required
Unique Features of the English System
of Education
•
•
•
•
•
A National Curriculum for all grades
Local/municipal control of education
School choice within regional/county school district
Regular national assessments at key points
A large sector of fee-based independent or private
schools
• Preprimary school starts at age 3, compulsory age 5
• Range of types of primary and secondary schools that
have selective admissions according to student scores
Current Issues in the UK
• Frequent testing at each key stage
• Raising mandatory school leaving age from 16 to
18 in 2015
• Parental choice
• Home schooling possible
• Large independent/private sector at secondary
level
• Some tuition for secondary schools and tuition up
to £9,000 p.a. for university education
Devolution: Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland
Scotland: strong comprehensive and non-selective
state schools
– Mandatory for ages 4-16
– Denominational state schools
Wales: Compulsory Welsh language instruction to age 16
and Welsh as first language in 22% of primary schools
– Community based comprehensive schools
N. Ireland: managed Catholic and Protestant schools
leads to highly segregated education system
- Immersion of Gaelic and English into successful bilingual
education
The
German
School
Chart
Unique Features of the German
System
•
•
•
•
Tripartite system after primary education
Special education in separate schools
Dual vocational system
Tests only for entrance and exit into a new
level of school
• Teachers are civil servants with tenure
• University education is in a chosen
discipline/career path (no general education)
Unique Features of German system
• Mandatory schooling from age 6 to 15 + 3
• Early differentiation of schools: tripartite system
requires school choice at age 10
• Vocational education as collaboration between
private sector and special school
• Funding of elem. & sec. schools by state; local
authorities are responsible for maintenance
• Subsidiary principle: private/denomination
institutions provide majority of child care
• Religious or ethics instruction mandatory
Recent Educational Reforms
• Major expansion of early childhood education and
after school programs
• More financial support for parents to have children
• Increased opportunities and integration of non-native
students
• Reducing the Gymnasium by 1 year from 9 to 8
• Return to tuition free university education
• Increase number of students to enter higher education
• Reduce # of tenure positions for teachers and offer
contracts instead of civil service privilege
The Finnish
Education
System
Unique Features of the Finnish Education
System
• Education is highly valued in Finnish society
• Goal of Government to achieve a high level of
education and competence for the whole society
• Every student has basic right to free basic
education and equal opportunity to further
education
• The local school is a source of pride and is financed
and administered through the local municipality
• A national curriculum guarantees uniform
education guidelines that are adjusted locally by
teachers to fit community and individual student
needs.
Unique Features of the Finnish Education System
• Dual language instruction: equal instruction in
mother tongue for Swedish minority
• High quality free and universal childcare: children
start compulsory education at age 7 but have
been well prepared through pre-primary child
care from 8 months on
• The child’s individuality and care about others are
primary values.
• The municipality pays mothers for 3 yrs. who
want to stay home to raise their child
Secret to Finnish Success: Well Educated
Teachers
• Teacher quality is viewed as the most important
ingredient to Finnish student success
• All teachers have completed four years of teacher
education and obtained their Master’s degree
• High selectivity: Only 10% of applicants to Teacher
Education Institutions are accepted
• Professional development is valued throughout a
teacher’s career
• Teachers are relatively autonomous professionals
Conclusion
• Many reform ideas were developed in the US and then
adopted in Europe
• The English system is most closely copying the current US
system of choice, privatization of schooling, and frequent
national testing
• International test results such as PISA are provoking
political attention to education and, thus, reform
• Reform initiatives are negotiations between established
structures and values and new solutions to perceived or
real problems >> slow progress
• In Europe, education is seen as one of the most important
investments necessary to secure future growth and
progress >> more funding is required
• Lifelong learning is a goal for the whole of Europe
Discussion Question
If you were able to influence education
policy and you could change one thing
about education in the US, what would
you want to adopt based on this
presentation today?
Some References:
R. Arnove & C.A. Torres (eds.) (2003) Comparative Education. 2nd ed. Lanham: Rowman &
Littlefield,
BBC World News America. (2010, April 6). Finland’s education success. Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8605791.stm
Compton, R. A. (2011, Feb. 24). The Finland phenomenon: Inside the world’s most surprising
school system. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcC2l8zioIw&safe=active
Economist Intelligence Unit. (2012). Lessons in Country Performance in Education. Pearson.
Niemi, H., Toom, A., & Kallioniemi, A. (Eds.). (2012). Miracle of education: the principles and
practices of teaching and learning in Finnish schools. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense
Publishers.
OECD. (2004). Learning for Tomorrow’s World. OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2011). Lessons from PISA for the United States, Strong Performers and Successful
Reformers in Education. OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2008) Teacher salaries. Retrieved from http://www.oecdilibrary.org/education/teachers-salaries_teachsal-table-1-1-en
OECD (2009). PISA 2009 Assessment Framework—Key Competencies in Reading, Mathematics,
and Science.
Pearson Foundation. Video Highlights (various countries). Retrieved from
http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/oecd/
Public Broadcasting System. (2010, December 9). Need to Know: Why Finland leads the world in
education [Television broadcast].
Sahlberg, P. (2011). Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in
Finland? New York, NY: Teacher College Press