1. Primary Education in Italy
By Rosemary Francolini
Image: (allflagsworld.com, 2014)

2. Profile of Italy Italy’s official name is the Italian Republic.
The total land area of Italy is approximately 301,328 square kilometers.
Italy’s capital, Rome, was the center of western civilization and is home to Vatican City, which is the center of the Roman Catholic Church.
Italy is a democratic republic and a member of the European Union, G8, the Council of Europe, the Western European Union, and the Central European Initiative, and the United Nations Security Council.
Tourism is one of the biggest sources of Italy’s income, with over 40 million tourists a year visiting Italy.
Italy is also known as “The Boot” due to the shape of the country.

3. Structure of Italian School System
Kindergarten (Preschool)(ages 3-6)
Primary (ages 6-11)
Secondary (First Instruction Cycle) Ages 11-14
Secondary (Second Instruction Cycle) Ages 14+
Secondary School Degree (5 years) OR
VET: 4 year courses of vocational education and training
Tertiary Instruction
Universities
High-level Arts and Music Education institutions (Afam)
Higher technical institutes (Its)

4. Education in Italy (General)
23.43% of the population is school-aged
0-24 years
4.2% of Italy’s GDP goes to education expenditures
On average, the Italian student spends 16 years in school, from primary to tertiary education
99.2% of the population is literate
(CIA 2013)

5. Education in Italy (General—Cont.)
Kindergarten is for children from 3 to 6 years old.
Primary school is for 5 years for children 6 to 11 years old.
Secondary school first instruction cycle for 3 years for children from 11 to 14 years old.
Secondary school second instruction cycle can take two paths:
secondary school degree, which lasts five years, for children from 14 to 19 years old. This would be high schools, technical and vocational institutes;
four-year courses of vocational education and training (VET).
Education is compulsory for children for ten years from ages 6 to 16.

6. Education in Italy (General—Cont.)
Tertiary education –Types of higher education:
Universities—(offer degrees comparable to bachelors and masters degrees)
High level Arts and Music Education (Afam)--Academies of Fine Arts, the National Academy of Drama, Higher institutes for Artistic Industries (ISIA), Conservatoires, the National Dance Academy and officially recognized music institutes
Higher technical institutes (ITSs)--highly specialized technical schools with courses designed to meet demands of industry; shorter education cycle than Universities and Afam.
All require completion of upper secondary education and an entrance exam.
(EuroEducation.net 2014)

7. United States Education System
Early Childhood Education (Preschool, Kindergarten)
Elementary Education
Middle School (Intermediate)
High Schools (Secondary)
Tertiary Instruction (Higher Education)
Universities (public and private)
Community colleges
Private vocational, professional, and technical institutions

8. Education in the United States (General)
33.1% of the population is school-aged
Ages 0-24
99% of the population is literate
5.4% of United States GDP goes to education expenditures
On average, the American student spends 17 years in school, from primary to tertiary education
(CIA 2014)

9. Education in the United States (General-Cont.)
Early Childhood Education (nursery school, preschool, kindergarten) is for children from 3 to 6 years old.
Elementary (primary) school is for grade ranges from grade 1 to grades 4-7 (depending on state and school district).
Middle school is for grades 5-9 (most in the 6-8 range). Middle schools in grades 7-9 are sometimes called junior high school.
Secondary (high) school is for grades 9-12.
Education is compulsory for children for ten years from ages 6 to 16.
(U.S. Department of Education. 2008)

10. Education in the United States (General-Cont.)
Tertiary education (Post-Secondary):
Vocational/technical institutions – lead to certificate
Junior or community colleges – lead to Associate’s degree or certificate
College or university – undergraduate work leading to Bachelor’s degree
College or university – graduate work leading to advanced degrees such as Master’s and Ph.D
Professional Schools (law, medicine, etc.) leading to advanced degrees and postdoctoral study and research.
(National Center for Education Statistics. 2016)

11. Italian Ministry of Education
In Italy, the educational system of education and training is organized according to the belief of subsidiary, which is the assignment of power to smaller units, and the self-rule of educational institutions. The State has sole legislative powers with regard to general rules on education. The Regions share legislative power in education, and have exclusive power in education and vocational training. 
Schools have independence in teaching, organization, research, experimentation and development.
(Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research 2016)

12. How Similar is Italian Primary Education to American Elementary Education?
Noncompulsory early education (nursery school) begins at age 3.
Activities consist of those that will enhance creativity skills, social attitudes, autonomy, and the learning process.
Schools accommodate children with special needs.
Programs include body and movement; speech and words; order of things; time and nature. Children attend schools closest to their homes.
Italian schools and American schools both strive to prepare children to become members of a democratic society.

13. Primary Education in Italy
The school year consists of 200 days per year.
Class sizes are minimum of 15 children and a maximum of 26.
Primary education consists of two cycles: cycle one is two years and cycle two is three years.
In cycle one the teacher is the dominant force and uses a program consisting of multi-disciplines.
In cycle two, teaching is divided into subject areas and different teachers teach different subjects according to their area of expertise.
Classes include Italian language, foreign language, math, science, history, geography, social studies, art, music, physical education, and Catholic religion.

14. Primary Education in Italy
“The secondary school level is part of the first cycle of education, in two consecutive schooling and mandatory: the primary school which lasts five years, and the secondary school level that lasts three years.
The secondary school level, across disciplines, 
It stimulates the growth of autonomous study skills and social interaction
It organizes and increases, including through literacy and deepening in information technology, knowledge and skills, also in relation to cultural tradition and social development, culture and science of contemporary reality
Gradually develops the skills and ability to make choices corresponding to the attitudes of students and vocations
It provides adequate instruments to continue education and training activities
It introduces the study of a second language of the European Union
It helps orientation in the future choice of education and training (Act 53 of 2003).”
(Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research 2016)

15. Primary Education in Italy
Educational reforms took place in1985 and 1990 regarding the curriculum and structure of primary education and its connection to preschool. Legislation in promoted early literacy and the development of the individual child.
A 1990 law was enacted demonstrating curricular relationships between primary school activities and those of preschool and lower secondary school. These links encourage consistency of curriculum, instruction, and student reasoning growth.
Schools must follow national education laws but have some flexibility in their instructional structure.
The curricula is designed to develop cross-cultural activities with a European emphasis and to create contacts with other schools via pen pal and other programs.

16. How Different is Italian Primary Education to American Elementary Education?
United States
School day is 6.5 to 7 hours per day, Monday through Friday.
There is no exam that students need to pass in order to proceed to middle school.
No religious instruction in public schools.
Students in elementary school are not instructed in a foreign language.
Italy
Classes can be scheduled for 27, 30, or even 40 hours per week and can run from Mondays to Saturdays.
Students have to pass an exam to lower secondary school (our middle school) in Italian, a written Math test, and an oral test in other subjects.
Religious instruction (Catholicism) is optional.
Students learn a foreign language.
(Foreign Credits Inc. 2012)

17. Interesting Fact: Montessori Schools
Begun by Maria Montessori, a well-known Italian educator.
The philosophy defined the educational process as the growth of the whole person in relationship to the environment and cultural framework.
Montessori thought that schooling should parallel to each child's developmental stage.
Materials are introduced to students in a logical and consecutive order.
There are nonstop blocks of time so that students can explore, think, and problem solve.
The United States and many other countries have embraced the Montessori philosophy and have opened Montessori schools.
(Schooluniversity.com)

18. Summary
Research indicates that the United States and Italy are very similar in regard to education.
Statistics prove that Italy and the United States have some very comparable results related to education, such as the literacy rate (99% for US,99.2% for Italy) and the average number of years students spend in school (17 for US, 16 for Italy).
The structure of the education system is similar, with students progressing from primary level to completion at the secondary level.
One difference in the schooling is that religious education, while optional, is taught in schools in Italy, while it is not in the United States.
Another difference is that students in the primary grades in Italy learn a foreign language (primarily due to close proximity to other European countries), while primary grade students in the United States do not.
Overall, it appears that there are more similarities than differences between the Italian school system and the United States school system.

19. The End Flag: (All-Flags-World.com 2012)
Map: (Italymilanmission.com 2014)

20. Bibliography
CIA. (27 March 2014). The World Factbook: North America: United States. Retrieved from EuroEducation.net. (2014). Italy Higher Education System. Retrieved from Foreign Credits Inc. (2012). Education System in Italy. Retrieved from Just Landed. ( ). State Schools in Italy. Retrieved from

21. Bibliography (cont.)
Ministry of Education, University and Research. (2016). School. Retrieved from National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). Digest of Education Statistics: Retrieved from NationMaster. ( Italy Education Stats. Retrieved from Stateuniversity.com. Italy—Preprimary-Primary Education-Schools, Children, Teachers, and Students. Retrieved from

22. Bibliography (cont.)
Understanding Italy. (2010) Profile of Italy. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education. (2008). Organization of U.S. Education. Retrieved from us.html