Comparative Study on the Professional Development Paths of Rural Teachers in China and the United States Based on Education Policies

Abstract

China and the United States have constructed distinctive policy support systems based on their own national conditions, and have shown different practical approaches in the construction of rural teacher teams. China's education policy focuses on top-down institutional planning, building a multi-level training network, and establishing a professional title evaluation mechanism, committed to creating institutional guarantees for teachers' professional development. The United States adopts a decentralization model, where each state formulates personalized support programs based on federal education laws, emphasizing the synergistic effect between teacher self-development and social resource integration. The different policy orientations have had a profound impact on the working environment and development space of rural teachers in both countries. This article mainly compares the career development paths of rural teachers in China and the United States based on educational policies.