Low expectations (both of the school system and it's students) are poison to our civilization.
Go ahead and increase your expectations. The only effect that will have is to increase your frustration. We're dealing with something that's stuck on "pretty much worthless". Changing expectations won't move it one bit. The answer is getting rid of teacher's unions and privatizing schools.
For what it's worth it's got my vote. But I don't see anything happening anytime soon.