<P> 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 was the first state to pass a charter school law in 1991 . By 2009 charter schools were operating in 41 states (and the District of Columbia) and 59% of these had waiting lists . </P> <P> The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 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 (e.g. each year, fifth graders must do better on standardized tests than the previous year's fifth graders) and 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 any exists . 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 . </P> <P> 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 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 . </P> <P> 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 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 . </P>

Number of high schools in the united states