Public Schools (K-12) 
Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High, Senior High, District, Alternative, Special Ed.
City of Napa, Napa Valley, San Francisco North Bay, Ca. USA 94558, 94559

entrance examinations which restricted entrance to fewer than 5 percent of the population in preparation for college. Most were expected to be ready for a job or family after junior high school. By mid-century, Comprehensive high schools became common which were designed to give 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. 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 drop outs, at risk of economic failure. By the 2000s, standards-based education was embraced in most states and federal education policy with the goal of raising standards. It 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 insure that all graduates had achieved these standards. Many, however, were concerned that this would roll back advances in high school graduation rates of groups at academic risk. Among American ethnic groups, Asians have the highest graduation rates, followed by white / European Americans. African Americans still lag behind whites, but are not far behind in national tests. Latino / Hispanic students, many of whom have poor English-seaking skills or immigrate from nations with low rates of high school education, have the lowest rates of high school completion.

Alternative education, also known as non-traditional education or educational alternative, describes a number of approaches to teaching and learning other than mainstream or traditional education. Educational alternatives are often rooted in various philosophies that are fundamentally different from those of mainstream or traditional education. While some have strong political, scholarly, or philosophical orientations, others are more informal associations of teachers and students dissatisfied with some aspect of mainstream or traditional education. Educational alternatives, which include charter schools, alternative schools, independent schools, and home-based learning vary widely, but often emphasize the value of small class size, close relationships between students and teachers, and a sense of community.

Special education is instruction that is modified or particularized for those students with special needs, such as learning differences, mental health problems, specific disabilities (physical or developmental), and giftedness.
Intellectual giftedness is an intellectual ability significantly higher than average.

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