[T-Bird45]

Not everyone needs Calculus, even those going into STEM programs.

I take it you've not examined very many college major courses of study recently. Colleges of business, science, agriculture, and engineering at my alma mater have a calculus requirement in most majors by the sophomore year. Introductory Physics courses are delineated as requiring or not requiring Calculus. Engineering majors of most every stripe will not be admitted into the professional courses (junior-level and above) without calculus as it forms the basis of classes like thermodynamics.

[grania]

I'm saying most students do not need to take Calculus in HS. They can take two years of Calculus in College and meet those requirements. The exception would be schools such as MIT and other highly competitive engineering schools that want students to have AP math and science backgrounds in HS.

What I discovered in my travels is that not all students who take Algebra 1 in grade 8 go beyond Geometry and Algebra 2 in high school math. Ironically, by not taking a math course Senior year of high school they suffer a disadvantage when they have to get back to it in college. Some find their way around that college math requirement by taking a watered down "Advanced Algebra" course or whatever.

Meanwhile, many others who take their Calculus in college find themselves with a course outline that is in sync with what the college expects.