In the upcoming year, $2876 million dollars is scheduled to be cut from academic and social programs in public high schools across the nation. This is a staggering number, considering the recent decline in test scores. To be sure, there are still many programs that tend to the needs of the students, but with all of the future cuts, this may not be the case in the future. I feel that unless changes are made, the students will continue to receive less academic attention with every passing year. The decrease in attention to gifted programs, the inadequate teacher qualifications, and the lack of funding for social events are taking away support from the students, making them less likely to succeed in the future.

A person’s high school years have always been said to be the best of their lives. Not only is it supposed to be a time of meeting and befriending new people who are different, but most importantly, it is the point in life in which you take the first step in setting the foundation for the future to come (the next step being college). Not only are they supposed to be the best, but they are supposed to be the most important as well. However, it must be realized that in order for someone’s high school years to be successful, there needs to be a lot of support given to every single person or they will not succeed. I feel that the high schools in the United States do not give the social needs, interests, or academic needs of today’s student’s the support they need.

High schools do support the academic needs of today’s high schools well. There seems to be a very high percentage of college-bound students, which would indicate that this is the case. Many high schools offer advanced courses that will help the more advanced students, and they offer the regular core classes for the rest. High schools offer many areas of study as well. Courses range from Advanced Calculus to Drama. High schools are doing a very good job of preparing their students for the next levels of education.

United States high schools, I feel, do a pretty good job of supporting the academic, social needs, and interests of today�s students. In today�s schools, we have so many alternative education programs, extra curricular activities, and other programs that it may even be difficult for a student to decide which ones to participate in.

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosts its 2006 Breakfast Forums on Promising Practices in Secondary Education in Washington, DC.

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosts its 2006 Breakfast Forums on Promising Practices in Secondary Education in Washington, DC.

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosts its 2006 Breakfast Forums on Promising Practices in Secondary Education in Washington, DC.

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosts its 2006 Breakfast Forums on Promising Practices in Secondary Education in Washington, DC.

As the nation's soaring drop-out rates draw new attention and concern, parents and policymakers struggle to find ways to give kids an urgent message: staying in school is important. But sometimes, the messenger is as important as the message. Here is a young man's own cautionary tale of high school struggles, republished here with permission from YO! Youth Outlook.

In its fifth annual national poll of Americans on education issues, Educational Testing Service (ETS) found that the quality of the nation's high schools is a major concern. This survey revealed that Americans say our high schools are in need of dramatic improvements.