The first American public school began on January 2, 1643 in Dedham, Massachusetts (then Massachusetts Bay Colony) almost 150 years before the United States became a country. The nation's first institution of higher learning, Harvard University opened in 1638. After the Revolutionary War, the U.S. began to stress importance on education, focusing on elementary education. Schools were publicly supplied, but not free. Until the 1830s, public mass education remained a social issue. Education reformers like Horace Mann jump-started the common school movement. In 1837, Mann became the first Secretary of the Board of Education for Massachusetts and was at the forefront in promoting the institution of common schools. His influence on education in Massachusetts soon spread to the U.S. as a whole. By 1870, all states provided free elementary schooling.

Perhaps the most important aspect of public education is the employment of teachers. The role of a teacher is often complicated, formal and ongoing. Teaching is one of the most stressful occupations in the U.S. and requires a lot of training, passion and commitment.

There are very few other types of professionals that have the opportunity to inspire as many people as teachers do. As someone once said "Teachers don't impact for a year, but for a lifetime."

There are many different ways, method or pedagogies to teach. Teachers must consider students’ knowledge, background, emotional maturity and other factors when choosing a teaching method. Many things contribute to teaching methods; one of those things is standardized curricula, which presents many challenges. Another factor in teaching methods is the increased use of technology. The increased use of technology presents new and beneficial avenues. For more on teaching methods, read magazines like New Directions for Teaching and Learning.

In the United States, each state determines the requirements for people obtaining a teaching license to teach in public schools. Today, all public school teachers must be certified and have a bachelor’s degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are about 3 million teachers employed in the United States.

Many states also require that teachers pass standardized exams at the national and/or state levels in the subjects they teach and/or the methods of teaching those subjects. States also require teachers undergo evaluation by local, state, and sometimes even private organizations during their first years of teaching. Most states use graduated licensing programs.

In 1980 the United States government created the U.S. Department of Education to promote and establish educational standards including equal access policies and financial aid. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Education, read magazines like Time, Newsweek and The Economist.

Each year the news magazine U.S. News and World Report ranks the top 10 graduate education programs in the United States. Columbia University, Stanford University, Harvard University and Vanderbilt University are among the most recent ranking.

May 5 is National Teacher Day and thousands of communities will honor their local teachers and acknowledge hard work, passion, dedication to making public education great.