Ask an Expert: Jim Cox and Pat Puleo
Measuring Up: A Parent's Guide to Testing, Grades, and Assessments

Why is my son's eighth grade social studies class going from five days a week to three days a week? The teacher is working with the students on writing for the two days a week they normally study American history. I thought this core course was a full-time requirement.

We fear that the frenzy to raise SAT-9 scores may have caused your son's school to limit, or perhaps abandon, other important content in order to emphasize only the subject areas tested: reading, language arts, and math. However, this tactic may be ill advised since current research shows that the broader the curriculum, the higher the test scores. With the approach you have described, kids will get a very narrow view of what a total education involves. They develop the skills to read, but they also need to get excited about science, history, art, and music. These subjects ignite a student's enthusiasm for learning and actually give them something to read and write about! Most books checked out of public and school libraries by children are non-fiction books about science, history, biographies, etc. In the long run, limiting student's exposure to other subject areas can only hurt a student's ability and desire to learn.

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