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78-658: Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica was established as the Spanish National Honor Society in 1953 in the United States . It became Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica in 1959. The society recognizes the achievement of high school students in Spanish and Portuguese. It also encourages interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies. The society's colors are red and gold. Its fower is the carnation. Its motto

156-411: A high school or senior high school for students ninth grade through twelfth grade. There is some debate over the optimum age of transfer, and variation in some states; also, middle school often includes grades that are almost always considered primary school . Today " Academy " is a general term referring to post-secondary education, especially the most elite or liberal arts part of it. However, in

234-467: A representative town meeting form in 1938. In 1953, Amherst voters passed the "Town Manager Act", which established the office of a town manager and reduced a number of elected positions. In 1995, a charter commission was approved to study Amherst's government; the charter majority recommended a seven-person Council and a mayor, while also maintaining a reduced size representative Town Meeting (150). This proposal failed in two successive votes. In 2001,

312-476: A town manager for its executive branch. The town manager is appointed by the town council. Amherst's town council consists of ten district councilors and three councilors-at-large. Two district councilors are elected from each of five districts in Amherst. The three councilors-at-large are elected by the whole town. Each councilor serves a two-year term, except for the first council, where each member will serve

390-445: A better grade. If a student does not have the total required credits needed to graduate at the end of their senior year of high school , the student will stay for another year or until they meet the required amount of credits. On the contrary, if a student earns enough credits required to graduate before the end of their senior year (usually at the end of 11th grade or the middle of 12th grade ) they can graduate early. Depending on

468-699: A book published by the Historical Society and written by Elizabeth M. Sharpe, Amherst A to Z . In 2021 the City Council voted to establish the Amherst African Heritage Reparation Assembly to study reparations for the town's black residents. In 2022, at the Assembly's suggestion, the City Council approved $ 2,000,000 of initial funding for reparations. The Town converted from an open town meeting to

546-665: A certain age. It was believed that every American student had the opportunity to participate regardless of their ability. In 1892, in response to many competing academic philosophies being promoted at the time, a working group of educators, known as the " Committee of Ten " was established by the National Education Association . It recommended twelve years of instruction, consisting of eight years of elementary education followed by four years of high school. Rejecting suggestions that high schools should divide students into college-bound and working-trades groups from

624-534: A charter commission was approved to study Amherst's government. A majority of commissioners proposed a charter that would establish a 13-member council with no mayor. This proposal was voted on the March 27, 2018 local ballot, and was passed by over 1,000 votes, a 58% majority. The new town council was sworn in on December 2, 2018. According to the United States Census Bureau , Amherst has

702-469: A city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massachusetts municipalities that have city forms of government but retain "The Town of" in their official names. At the 2020 census , the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (although the county seat is Northampton ). The town is home to Amherst College , Hampshire College , and

780-582: A college. It never included a preparatory unit. The religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening stimulated Protestant denominations to open academies and colleges. In the small town of Amherst, Massachusetts in 1812, funds were raised for a secondary school, Amherst Academy; it opened December 1814. The academy incorporated in 1816, and eventually counted among its students Emily Dickinson , Sylvester Graham , and Mary Lyon (founder of Mount Holyoke College ). By 1821 it added

858-571: A colonial governor at the time scattered his name during the influx of new town applications, which is why several towns in the Northeast bear the name. Amherst was Commander-in-Chief of the forces of North America during the French and Indian War who, according to popular legend, singlehandedly won Canada for the British and banished France from North America. Popular belief has it that he supported

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936-711: A foreign language or advanced math and science classes in middle school. Typically schools will offer Spanish and French ; and, often German ; and, sometimes Latin ; Chinese , Japanese , and/or Greek . In addition to Pre-Algebra and other high school mathematics prep courses, Algebra I and Geometry are both commonly taught. Schools also offer Earth Science, Life Science, or Physical Science classes. Physical education classes (also called "PE", "phys ed", Kinesiology, or "gym") are usually mandatory for various periods. For social studies, some schools offer U.S. History , Geography , and World History classes. Many also have honors classes for motivated and gifted students, where

1014-414: A free education to any student who chose to stay in school for 12 years to get a diploma with a minimal grade point average. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education , made desegregation of elementary and high schools mandatory, although private Christian schools expanded rapidly following this ruling to accommodate white families attempting to avoid desegregation. By 1955,

1092-440: A graduate or professional degree, and only 4.9% did not graduate from high school. The largest industry is education, health, and social services, in which 51.9% of employed persons work. These statistics given above include some but not all of the large student population, roughly 30,000 in 2010, many of whom only reside in the town part of the year. Amherst is home to thousands of part-time and full-time residents associated with

1170-582: A half-day instruction/approved work program in senior year as the purpose of the program is to prepare students for gainful employment without a college degree. The level of specialization allowed varies depending on both the state and district the school is located in. Many states require courses in the "core" areas of English (or Language Arts), Science , Social Studies (or History), and Mathematics every year although others allow more choice after 10th grade. Three science courses, biology , chemistry , and physics are usually offered. Many schools follow

1248-514: A higher education with Amherst College . Besides religion, the academy movement arose from a public sense that education in the classic disciplines needed to be extended into the western states. Thousands of academies were started using local funds and tuition; most closed after a few years and others were established. In 1860 there were 6,415 academies in operation. When the Civil War erupted in 1861 they generally closed down temporarily; most in

1326-420: A household in the town was $ 48,059, and the median income for a family was $ 96,005. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 64,750 versus $ 39,278 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 18,905. About 8.7% of families and 34.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over. Of residents 25 years old or older, 41.7% have

1404-427: A modified diploma. Usually, to graduate, students need to take and pass four years of English (or Language Arts) classes, four years of Social Studies (or History) classes, three years of Math classes, (but four are recommended), Three years of Science classes, (but four are recommended), two years of Foreign language classes, one year of a Health education class, one year of a Physical education class, and

1482-682: A new requirement in 2006. This requirement has been an object of controversy when states have started to withhold diplomas, and the right to attend commencement exercises, if a student does not meet the standards set by the state. Pressure to allow people and organizations to create new Charter schools developed during the 1980s and were embraced by the American Federation of Teachers in 1988. These would be legally and financially autonomous public school free from many state laws and district regulations, and accountable more for student outcomes rather than for processes or inputs. Minnesota

1560-481: A part of President Lyndon B. Johnson 's War on Poverty , provided funds for primary and secondary education known as Title I funding while explicitly forbidding the establishment of a national curriculum . It emphasized equal access to education and established high standards and accountability. The bill also aimed to shorten the achievement gaps between students by providing every child with fair and equal opportunities to achieve an exceptional education. After 1980,

1638-541: A policy of easy and open enrollment. The shift from theoretical to a more practical approach in curriculum also resulted in an increase of skilled blue-collar workers. The open enrollment nature and relatively relaxed standards, such as ease of repeating a grade, also contributed to the boom in secondary schooling. There was an increase in educational attainment, primarily from the grass-roots movement of building and staffing public high schools. By mid-century, comprehensive high schools became common, which were designed to give

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1716-447: A test given later in the school year, they are given college credit at participating universities . Public high schools offer a wide variety of elective courses, which are classes that don't fall under any of the 'core' categories. Students usually choose to take elective classes tailored to their personality, interests, and after school activities. The availability of such courses depends upon each particular school, varying based on what

1794-595: A three-year term. Amherst also has the following elected bodies: Amherst also has a five-member housing authority in which three of the five members are elected by voters. Each member serves a two-year term. In the Massachusetts Senate Amherst is in the "Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester" district, represented by Democratic State Senator Jo Comerford since January 2019. In the Massachusetts House of Representatives Amherst

1872-434: A total area of 27.7 square miles (71.8 km ), of which 27.6 square miles (71.5 km ) are land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km ), or 0.48%, are water. The town is bordered by Hadley to the west, Sunderland and Leverett to the north, Shutesbury , Pelham , and Belchertown to the east, and Granby and South Hadley to the south. The highest point in the town is on the northern shoulder of Mount Norwottuck at

1950-460: A varying number of elective classes. Grades in American schools range from A (90% to 100%) to F (59% and below), excluding E. To pass a class and receive a credit for it, students usually need to receive a grade between A to D, or 100% to 60%. F, or 59% and below would be failing and students wouldn't receive credit for the class. An A grade is for greatly exceeding the expected standard, a B grade

2028-509: A year-long course. Additional study options can include classes in Sociology , and Psychology . Many states require a health or wellness course in order to graduate. The class typically covers basic anatomy , nutrition , first aid , sexual education , and how to make responsible decisions regarding illegal drugs , tobacco , and alcohol . In some places, contraception is not allowed to be taught for religious reasons. In some places,

2106-447: Is "¡Todos a una!" ("All Together for One Goal"). Each member must have completed at least three semesters of Spanish or Portuguese with an honor average as defined by the local chapter. The potential member must be enrolled in Spanish at the time of induction and is required to maintain an "honor grade" or GPA, which correlates with the SHH's mission of high academic achievement. Albricias

2184-520: Is a sharp transition from the primary or elementary school model in which students remain with a single teacher in a single classroom.) The classes are usually a set of four or five (if foreign language is included in the curriculum) core academic classes ( English or " language arts ," science , mathematics , history or " social studies ," and in some schools, foreign language ) with two to four other classes, either electives, supplementary, or remedial academic classes. Some students also start taking

2262-535: Is also infamous for recommending, in a letter to a subordinate, the use of smallpox -covered blankets in warfare against the Native Americans along with any "other method that can serve to Extirpate this Execrable Race". For this reason, there have been occasional ad hoc movements to rename the town. Amherst celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009. The Amherst 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee and Amherst Historical Society organized events, including

2340-476: Is also located in the Pioneer Valley , which encompasses Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties. The name of the town is pronounced without the h ("AM-erst") by natives and long-time residents, giving rise to the local saying, "only the 'h' is silent", in reference both to the pronunciation and to the town's politically active populace. The earliest known document of the lands now comprising Amherst

2418-573: Is associated with some aspect of the Spanish or Portuguese culture. Secondary education in the United States Secondary education is the last six or seven years of statutory formal education in the United States . It culminates with twelfth grade (age 17–18) . Whether it begins with sixth grade (age 11–12) or seventh grade (age 12–13) varies by state and sometimes by school district. Secondary education in

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2496-585: Is available in nearby Northampton on the Vermonter service between Washington, D.C. , and St. Albans, Vermont . More frequent Amtrak service to New York City and Washington, D.C., is available from Union Station in Springfield . The closest major domestic and limited international air service is available through Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut . Bradley

2574-982: Is for exceeding the expected standard, a C is the expected standard, a D is falling behind the expected standard, and an F (or fail) is greatly behind the expected standard. Sometimes a letter grade can have a + or a - next to it, related to what percentage was given. Instructors may choose to have the lowest possible grade be a 50%, and only grade 0% to assignments that have not been turned in. Middle schools and junior high schools are schools that which straddle elementary and high school education. "Middle" schools commonly serve sixth grade , seventh grade , and eighth grade , while "junior high" schools usually exclude sixth grade and can sometimes include ninth grade instead. Rarely, middle and junior high schools can also include fifth grade . Upon arrival in middle school or junior high school, students begin to enroll in class schedules in which they will take classes with several teachers in different classrooms on any given day. (This

2652-511: Is in the 3rd Hampshire district, represented by Democratic State Representative Mindy Domb since January 2019. Amherst is part of the Eighth Massachusetts Governor's Council district and has been represented by Tara Jacobs since January 2023. Amherst is represented at the federal level by an all-Democratic delegation, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey , and by Representative Jim McGovern of

2730-614: Is in zone 5b; however, Amherst closely borders zone 6a, which penetrates into Massachusetts in the Connecticut River Valley, and climate change may be shifting those zones. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 37,819 people, 9,259 households, and 4,484 families residing in the town. There were 9,711 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 76.9% White , 5.4% Black or African American , 0.2% Native American , 10.9% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 2.4% some other race , and 4.1% from two or more races. 7.3% of

2808-533: Is located approximately one hour's driving time from Amherst. Major international service is available through Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, 90 miles away. General aviation service is close by, at Northampton Airport , Westover Metropolitan Airport , and Turners Falls Airport . Since 1997, the local newspaper, the Amherst Bulletin , has published a weekly log of phone calls received by

2886-435: Is no obligation upon any state to accept these funds. The U.S. government may also propose, but cannot enforce national goals, objectives and standards, which generally lie beyond its jurisdiction. Many high schools in the United States offer a choice of vocational or college prep curriculum. Schools that offer vocational programs include a very high level of technical specialization, e.g., auto mechanics or carpentry, with

2964-527: Is part of the Amherst Regional School District along with Leverett , Pelham , and Shutesbury . Amherst has three elementary schools: Crocker Farm Elementary School, Fort River Elementary School, and Wildwood Elementary School serving K–6. Students in Amherst then attend Amherst Regional Middle School for grades 7–8. High school students then attend Amherst Regional High School . There are three tertiary institutions located in

3042-496: Is the deed of purchase dated December 1658 between John Pynchon of Springfield and three native inhabitants, referred to as Umpanchla, Quonquont, and Chickwalopp. According to the deed, "ye Indians of Nolwotogg (Norwottuck) upon ye River of Quinecticott (Connecticut)" sold the entire area in exchange for "two Hundred fatham of Wampam & Twenty fatham, and one large Coate at Eight fatham wch Chickwollop set of, of trusts, besides severall small giftes" [ sic ]. Amherst

3120-467: Is the largest U.S. association dedicated to promoting this type of education. High schools in the United States base if students are able to graduate based off how many credits they have earned. How many credits are required to graduate and how many credits students earn from classes vary state by state. As an example, in Oregon , students are required to obtain a total of 24 credits before they graduate. At

3198-570: Is the quarterly publication of the Spanish Honor Society. Students may submit writings and artworks to the magazine. It also features reflective writings from the students who have won the college scholarships and/or travel awards. Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica provides over $ 160,000 in awards to its chapters and members. The most prestigious awards are college scholarships to sixty high school seniors (Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship) and travel awards to 24 high school juniors from around

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3276-424: The 2020 United States Presidential Election , Democrat Joe Biden received 90.3 percent of the vote to incumbent Republican Donald Trump 's 7.4 percent. In the 2000 United States Presidential Election , Amherst was one of a small number of places that delivered more votes for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader (who took 24% of the vote) than Republican candidate George W. Bush , who received just 13%. The town

3354-518: The IRS ). Amherst has a humid continental climate that under the Köppen system marginally falls into the warm-summer category ( Dfb ). It is interchangeable with the hot-summer subtype Dfa with July means hovering around 71.7 °F (22.1 °C). Winters are cold and snowy, albeit daytime temperatures often remain above freezing. Under the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone system, Amherst (ZIP Code 01002)

3432-471: The League of Women Voters Amherst made a number of recommendations that were adopted in 2001 in the form of a revised "Amherst Town Government Act". An effort shortly thereafter to amend the charter to eliminate the town meeting, and establish an elected mayor and a nine-member Town Council, was rejected by voters twice, first in spring 2003 by fourteen votes and again on March 29, 2005 by 252 votes. In 2016,

3510-615: The Second Congressional District of Massachusetts . Voter registration data is from the state election enrollment statistics. Like many college towns, Amherst leans heavily Democratic. In each of the presidential elections from 2012 to 2020, more than 80% of Amherst's votes went to the Democratic candidate. The last Republican to win Amherst on the Presidential level was Richard Nixon in 1960 . In

3588-484: The University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst College , and Hampshire College . Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Major employers in Amherst include University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst College , William D. Mullins Memorial Center , Hampshire College , and Amherst-Pelham Regional School District . Amherst has a town council for its legislative branch and

3666-600: The University of Massachusetts Amherst , three of the Five Colleges . Amherst has three census-designated places : Amherst Center , North Amherst , and South Amherst . Amherst is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area . Lying 22 miles (35 km) north of the city of Springfield, Amherst is considered the northernmost town in the Hartford–Springfield Metropolitan Region, "The Knowledge Corridor". Amherst

3744-469: The 18th and 19th century, an "academy" was what later became known as a high school. In most towns there were no public schools above the primary level. The typical college at first included a preparatory unit, which it dropped by 1900. In the nineteenth century an academy was what later became known as a high school; in most places in the U.S. there were no public schools above the primary level. Some older high schools, such as Corning Free Academy , retained

3822-490: The 50 states and the national capital of Washington, D.C. , and 59% of these had waiting lists. Authority to regulate education resides constitutionally with the individual states, with direct authority of the U.S. Congress and the federal U.S. Department of Education being limited to regulation and enforcement of federal constitutional rights. Great indirect authority is, however, exercised through federal funding of national programs and block grants although there

3900-725: The American side in the Revolutionary War and resigned his commission rather than fight for the British. Baron Amherst actually remained in the service of the Crown during the war—albeit in Great Britain rather than North America—where he organized the defense against the proposed Franco-Spanish Armada of 1779 . Nonetheless, his previous service in the French and Indian War meant he remained popular in New England. Amherst

3978-477: The Province of Pennsylvania. In 1755, it was renamed the college and Academy and Charitable School of Philadelphia. It evolved into the University of Pennsylvania . By 1840 3,204 academies and similar secondary schools were in operation. Most lasted only a few years but others were created and by 1860 6,415 were in operation nationwide. The first public secondary schools started around the 1830s and 40s within

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4056-667: The South never reopened. Like Amherst, a number of colleges began as (high school) academies, then became a college by adding post-secondary unit, and then finally dropped the pre-collegiate academy. Several colleges were indirectly influenced by the academy model, including Brown University in Rhode Island and Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.In 1753, Benjamin Franklin established the academy and Charitable School of

4134-573: The United States occurs in two phases. The first. as classified by the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), is the lower secondary phase, either called a middle school or junior high school. A middle school is for students sixth grade , seventh grade and eighth grade and a junior high school is only for students in seventh and eighth grade. The second is the ISCED upper secondary phase,

4212-593: The arts. A smaller number of high schools are operated by the Department of Defense on military bases for children of military personnel . Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst ( / ˈ æ m ər s t / ) is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts , United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered

4290-515: The arts. Some schools have been set up for students who do not succeed with normal academic standards; while others, like Harvey Milk High School , have even been created for special social groups such as LGBT students. Most states operate special residential schools for the blind and deaf , although a substantial number of such students are mainstreamed into standard schools. Several operate residential high schools for highly gifted students in specialized areas such as science, mathematics, or

4368-465: The building can support and if the school can afford to hold them. Electives may be taken over the course of a full year or over the course of an academic term . Students are usually required to take several elective classes over the course of high school to graduate. This can include physical education and foreign language classes, but sometimes these are separate. Common types of electives include: The Association for Career and Technical Education

4446-533: The circumstances, students may receive a diploma different from the standard. Students that take a certain number of honors classes or college credit classes can receive an advanced diploma. The highest-performing student in the grade usually receives the valedictorian title, along with a special diploma. On the contrary, students with extenuating circumstances (for example, the COVID-19 pandemic ) that negatively impacted or interrupted their learning may receive

4524-647: The control given to students varies from state to state and school to school. The schools are managed by local school districts rather than by the central government. Some states and cities offer special high schools with examinations to admit only the highest performing students, such as Boston Latin School , several schools in the New York City Specialized High School system or Alexandria, Virginia 's Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology . Other high schools cater to

4602-412: The country (Bertie Green Travel Awards). The Bertie Green Travel Award destinations have included summer trips to Argentina, Peru, Mexico, and Spain. Each chapter can only nominate one student for each of those awards. There are also several awards for chapters and sponsors each year. As of 2024, there are more than 2,900 chapters of Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. Each chapter has its own unique name, which

4680-414: The country offer Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses to be taken instead of the ones created by the school and/or school district . These classes have a standard curriculum, making them easy to study for, but are more rigorous as they are college level. Students may take these for classes they are more proficient in if they want a challenge. If students earn a good score on

4758-839: The curriculum set by Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Other science courses offered at high schools include geology , ecology , astronomy , health , and forensic . High school math courses typically include Pre-algebra , Algebra I , Geometry , Algebra II with trigonometry classes. Advanced study options can include Precalculus , Calculus , and Statistics . English and language classes are usually required for four years of high school although many schools count journalism , public speaking/debate, foreign language , literature , drama , and writing (both technical and creative) classes as English/Language classes. Social studies classes include History , Political Science , Economics and Geography . Political science and Economics classes are sometimes combined as two semesters of

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4836-799: The early morning hours on weekends when school is in session. Students attending any colleges in the Five Colleges Consortium have a fee included in their tuition bills (service fee for UMass Amherst students and student activity fees for the other colleges) for each semester that prepays their bus fares for the semester. UMass Transit buses operate via a proof-of-payment system, in which there are random inspections of student identification cards and bus passes and transfers. Peter Pan Bus Lines provides service between Amherst and Springfield , Boston , and other locations in New England. Megabus provides service between New York City , Amherst, and Burlington, Vermont . Amtrak rail service

4914-447: The end of a semester (halfway through the school year), the student earns 0.5 credits for each class they have a passing grade in (usually above 50%). If the student does not earn a credit, they are able to earn the credit through retaking the class, taking a specific credit recovery class, taking the class at a summer school , or taking the same or an equivalent class online . These options are also available for students who wish to get

4992-440: The enrollment rates of secondary schools in the United States were around 80%, higher than enrollment rates in most or all European countries. The goal became to minimize the number who exited at the mandatory attendance age, which varies by state between 14 and 18 years of age, and become considered to be dropouts , at risk of economic failure. In 1965, the far-reaching Elementary and Secondary Education Act ('ESEA'), passed as

5070-434: The establishment of neighborhood, district, or community high schools in the larger cities which may have had one or two schools since the 19th century. High school enrollment and graduation numbers and rates increased markedly, mainly due to the building of new schools, and a practical curriculum based on gaining skills "for life" rather than "for college". There was a shift towards local decision making by school districts, and

5148-413: The growth in educational attainment decreased, which caused the growth of the educated workforce to slow down. Under the education reform movement started in the early 1990s by many state legislatures and the federal government, about two-thirds of the nation's public high school students are required to pass a graduation exam , usually at the 10th and higher grade levels, though no new states had adopted

5226-458: The health and physical education class are combined into one class or are offered in alternate semesters. In some private schools, such as Catholic schools , theology is required before a student graduates. Two years of physical education (usually referred to as "gym," "PE" or "phys ed" by students) is commonly required, although some states and school districts require that all students take Physical Education every term . Most high schools in

5304-443: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 9,259 households in the town, 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were headed by married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% were non-families. Of all households, 27.3% were made up of individuals, and 9.7% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5382-636: The previous year's fifth graders. Schools that miss AYP for a second consecutive year are publicly labeled as in need of improvement, and students have the option to transfer to a better school within the school district, if such options exist. Standards-based education has been embraced in most states which changed the measurement of success to academic achievement, rather than the completion of 12 years of education. By 2006, two-thirds of students lived in states with effective standards requiring passing tests to ensure that all graduates had achieved these standards. By 2009, charter schools were operating in 41 of

5460-861: The quality of education is higher and much more is expected from the enrolled student. Intermediate school is an uncommon term, and can either be a synonym for middle school (notably as used by the New York City public schools) or for schools that encompass the latter years of elementary education prior to middle school/junior high school, serving grades 3 or 4 through 5 or 6. These can also be called 'upper elementary' schools. High schools , or senior high schools, are schools that span grades 8, 9, or 10 through 12. Most American high schools are comprehensive high schools and accept all students from their local area, regardless of ability or vocational/college track. Students have significant control of their education, and may choose even their core classes, although

5538-623: The southern border of the town; the peak is in Granby but the town's high point is a few yards away and is about 1,100 feet (340 m). This point is located in the Mount Holyoke Range , which forms the so-called " Tofu Curtain ". Amherst is nearly equidistant from Massachusetts' borders with Connecticut and Vermont . Amherst's ZIP Code of 01002 is the second-lowest number in the continental United States after Agawam (not counting codes used for specific government buildings such as

5616-557: The start, and in some cases also by race or ethnic background, they unanimously recommended that "every subject which is taught at all in a secondary school should be taught in the same way and to the same extent to every pupil so long as he pursues it, no matter what the probable destination of the pupil may be, or at what point his education is to cease." Between 1910 and 1940, the high school movement resulted in rapidly increasing founding of public high schools in many cities and towns and later with further expansions in each locality with

5694-402: The term in their names (Corning Free Academy, demoted to a middle school , closed in 2014). In 1753, Benjamin Franklin established the academy and Charitable School of the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1755, it was renamed the college and Academy and Charitable School of Philadelphia. Today, it is known as the University of Pennsylvania . The United States Military Academy was formed in 1802 as

5772-542: The town: the public University of Massachusetts Amherst (the flagship of the UMass system ), and two private liberal arts colleges— Amherst College and Hampshire College . The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority , funded by local governments and the Five College Consortium , provides public transportation in the area, operated by University of Massachusetts Transportation Services . Service runs well into

5850-460: The wealthier areas of similar income levels and greatly expanded after 1865 into the 1890s. Many high schools in the 19th century contained a "normal school" which trained students as teachers in common schools. Most of those enrolled were young women planning to teach a few years before marriage. High school enrollment increased when schools at this level became free tuition, and when compulsory education laws required teenagers to attend until

5928-437: Was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town, 10.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 55.7% were from 18 to 24, 13.3% were from 25 to 44, 13.6% were from 45 to 64, and 7.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males. For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for

6006-429: Was first visited by Europeans no later than 1665, when Nathaniel Dickinson surveyed the lands for its mother town Hadley . The first permanent English settlements arrived in 1727. It remained a part of Hadley, even when it gained precinct status in 1734, before becoming a township in 1759. When it incorporated, the colonial governor assigned the town the name "Amherst" after Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst . Many

6084-479: Was the first state to pass a charter school law in 1991. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act required all public schools receiving federal funding to administer a statewide standardized test annually to all students. Schools that receive Title I funding must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in test scores; for instance, each year, fifth graders must do better on standardized tests than

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