The “regular curriculum” is, in many cases, largely BS and feel-good and self-esteem. The state tests guarantee that the pupils will learn something of what was a few generations ago called education. The real eye-opener for me was when the local district adopted Saxon Math for Elementary school then dropped it after a couple of years because the teachers felt useless because the slightly more motivated students were able to learn the subject solely from the material. The teachers felt cut out of the loop. They went back to the mystification of math that all the other, more “popular” series promote. I have looked closely at a number of Math Series. I could teach myself algebra from Saxon. I could not make anything out of the others. They multiply words and lead students up weird paths and omit information so that the duller teachers will have something to do. Thank God the politicians instituted standard tests and the teachers have to teach to them. The kids have to learn something that is real that might not contribute to the Unions’ fantasies about Self-Esteem and Environmentalism.
For a few talented, perceptive, and motivated teachers the tests can, indeed, be limiting, but for the great majority it is what allows their students to know a little of real academic subjects before they graduate.
But the real puzzler is, if people cared for their children and their futures, the kids would not be in public school at all.
I hate Saxon math. That’s what the private school my daughters attended from 4th-6th used, and I was constantly having to reteach math to one of my daughters. She’s good at math (a year ahead), but she needs repetition to get things down, and Saxon math does not have much repetition. We changed schools last year for 7th. It’s also private, and they use a regular text book. However, the teachers seem to be very good at teaching the concepts. She rarely needed help last year, and her test scores were better.
My other daughter did okay with Saxon math, but she said the teacher didn’t teach anything. She just read the book and understood it. She only needs to see things once, and she gets it. She typically doesn’t miss anything on the math section of the standardized testing, and she’s 2 years ahead (geometry in 8th grade).