School is compulsory until age sixteen in France. There are four grades at the high school (in what they call the collège): “6éme / 5ème / 4ème and 3ème” or sixth, fifth, fourth and third. In France, the grade-levels count down, not up. Therefore, students work their way from sixth grade to first grade, after which is the “terminale” grade, or the last grade before graduation from high school. For those that continue in school past the age of sixteen the last three years are in a “lycée”, the “terminale” years is when they take their final exams, the "baccalauréat".

The school system in the Philippines is made up of Pre-school (4-6 years old), Elementary school (7 – 12 years old), High school (13 – 16 years old), and College (17 years old onwards). Only the elementary school is obligatory. The school year in the Philippines (unlike in the United States and France where it is from September to July) goes from June to March. The Filipino schools that have taken part in the Global Classroom Initiative until now are : Community of Learner’s Foundation (2006-2008), the Center for Positive Futures (private schools) et Flora Ylagan High School (public school).

School in the United States is cumpulsory once a child is six years old. Children start school in Kindergarten at around four to six years of age. After Kindergarten, grade levels are numbered, starting at First grade and ending at Twelfth grade, when the student graduates at around 16-18 years old. The standard, required curriculum includes the following core subjects: English Language, Math, Physical Education (PE), Science, and Social Studies. English Litterature starts in 9th grade. In Junior High (grades 7 and 8), students start taking Art, Health, Foreign Language, and Technology. In High School (grades 9-12), these subjects become "electives."