This question is very much confusing. There are several types of schools in USA and other countries too. for example private, international, Govt and others. Each have syllabus and fixed procedures for teaching. In some school teachers prepared the syllabus but in some school , teachers has to follow. However application oriented study are getting more importance. In addition to this, theoretical and practical gets equal importance. And students have to work more for regular assignments. Thus teachers judge the performance of each students. Principal often visit the class room and free to ask the questions if any.