i realize there are lots of details that need to be ironed out and some i could compromise on, but consider schools that cater to smart kids, schools that cater to the needs of the less intelligent, schools that cater to musically inclined, schools that help kids kick a drug problem, schools that do not allow drugs, ...
in the longer run, these focused schools will force parents to think about where to send their kids, and further, horrors of horrors, have little johnny possibly rejected by some (see drug schools that will take johnny). parents will have to deal with problem children, not the schools. best of all, the free market will make education cheaper in the long run. this is akin, but not exactly, to having a series of private schools that compete with the public schools.
other thoughts you might have?
Good ideas. First of all, every kid is not the same. The idea that every single young person should go to college or university is stupid. Some kids don't have that kind of intellect, and would rather fix cars, style hair, be a machinist, and so on. No need to spend four years at a so-called "insitution of higher learning" for that. Modern culture prolongs adolescence waaay too long. There's no reason a young person 18 years old can't be a productive adult.
Another point is that most colleges and universities are currently pits of liberal crap, and many young people go primarily to party and put off being responsible. Or even if they do want to learn and be responsible, the party hardy atmosphere screws them up.
There should be more vocational type schools were young people can focus more on (a) practical livelihood learning, (b) cognitive thinking and logical reasoning, and (b) basic knowledge.
Young people who have more of an intellectual bent can study more classical type stuff, without being held back by kids who have no interest.
Apprenticeships would be very excellent - both for practical livelihood skill learning, as well as more intellectual stuff. High schools suck, they did when I went, and they are worse now. Uniforms should be mandatory, then girls wouldn't look like sluts and boys like gangsters, with the poorer kids miserable because they can't afford the expensive gear. Let the kids focus on schoolwork, not on clothes. I think sex separated schools or classes are good too. It's pretty much been proven kids can pay attention to school better when not distracted by the opposite sex, and trying to appeal to each other.
A hundred years ago teachers were hired and chosem not just for their own learning and skills but also for their high moral character. That should be absolutely as important as educational qualifications. Degrees in "education" should be totally eliminated.
There is absolutely no reason why religion can't be taught in schools - obviously not a sectarian indoctrination, but basic moral/spiritual and religious values, which are essentially the same in every religion, SHOULD be taught. Or how about this - representatives of churches, synagogues, even minority religions like representatives of Hinduism and Buddhism - should be able to come in and teach their particular faith. Then kids will be exposed to all of them. Why not? I think it's a much better idea, and more Constitutional, than school being a God-free place, where religion and spiritual truths are so horrible that they can't enter. Kids are naturally interested in religion.
How's that for a start?