<P> The Association for Career and Technical Education is the largest U.S. association dedicated to promoting this type of education . </P> <P> Middle schools, or junior high schools, are schools that span grades 7, 8, and sometimes 5, 6 and 9, which straddle primary and secondary education . Upon arrival in middle school or junior high school, students begin to enroll in class schedules where they take classes from several teachers in a given day . 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 . </P> <P> Some students also start taking 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 by the older term, "gym") are usually mandatory for various periods . For social studies, some schools offer U.S. History, Geography, and World History classes . </P> <P> Most also have "honors" classes for motivated and gifted students, where the quality of education is higher and much more is expected from the enrolled student . </P>

Number of middle and high schools in the us