Article: Plan would force children to make choices too soon.

The need for dramatic reform in American education is unarguable, but making high school optional for all but the best and brightest of our children is downright ludicrous.

No single stage in a child's life is any more or less crucial than the others. Middle schools have indeed been largely ignored by education reform, and though young teenagers are more than ready to focus seriously on higher-order cognitive tasks, most curricula barely challenges them. But middle school is where we need to intensify education for all children. It should not be the last stop for those who don't want to go to college.

Anyone who has ever spent more than an hour with a ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!