Educational Systems: North America

Education in North America, since colonial times, has been shaped by a cultural dynamic that promotes education as an essential good that is constantly being expanded while also seeing education as potentially disruptive, subversive, and decisive - hence something that must be controlled and regulated. The national systems of public, compulsory education in Canada and the USA have been largely shaped by this cultural dynamic with some differences in historical and cultural forces. In this article, shared cultural dynamics are discussed and an overview of other subsystems of education, such as military schools, tribal and historically black colleges, and religious schools, is provided.