Is School Hard Enough? No Way, New Report Says

Original article in the Los Angeles Times by Larry Gordon.

Students and parents may complain often and loudly about the homework load these days, saying it has created a stressed-out generation. But a new report contends that is not so and that many students actually don’t do enough -- or challenging enough -- math and reading.

“If students are going to succeed in the competitive global economy, they need to be exposed to a rigorous curriculum. But many students believe their classwork is too easy,” said the study by the Center for American Progress, a liberal-leaning think tank in Washington.

The report -- "Do Schools Challenge Our Students?" -- analyzed national and state-by-state results of federal student surveys about the rigors of school and homework assignments in elementary, middle and high schools.

According to the study, 37% of fourth-graders across the country and 42% in California say their math work is often or always too easy. Among eighth-graders, 29% nationally and 32% in California report such frequent and simple assignments. Almost a third of middle schoolers in the U.S. and the state say they read less than five pages a day at home or at school and more than half say they read no more than 10 pages.

To read the complete article, visit the Los Angeles Times. You can also read the full report below or visit the Center for American Progress.