Understanding schooling in the United States requires grounding in what makes American education unique. Since the Oklahoma City bombing and 9/11, many Americans are asking how schooling plays a role in the creation of socially, politically, and economically productive citizens both at home and abroad. There is a renewed interest in understanding not only how U.S. schools academically educate students, but also how the American schooling experience shapes individuals as part of a unique and dynamic nation, which has a global impact.