In an absolute sense, one would choose the best, age-appropriate literature. Of course, what constitutes the best literature is debatable, but the principle shouldn’t be. However, it is not necessary to compile a list of great books because, concomitant with the first principle of choosing good books, is the issue of authority. Ultimately, parents should have the primary responsibility for guiding their children’s education.
There is no solution to this problem with respect to government schools, because they have no formal purpose, although it is possible to discern various de facto objectives.
Scholars should be involved in choosing the great books just as doctors choose the best medicine. Parents can effectively guide education up until the teenage years but after that one needs an amount of expertise in a wide variety of subjects that most people can’t provide individually. A lot of very educated people had illiterate parents.