High school standards

HoustonChronicle.com - Perry backs challenge to feds on student testing: "A total of 13 states have signed on to support the American Diploma Project, which aims to get all students ready for college or work. Specifically, the states committed to:
� Align their high school standards and tests with the skills required in college and the workplace. Colleges and universities would have to clearly define the skills required for their credit-bearing courses, and states would be expected to adjust their English and math standards.
� Require all students to take a test of their readiness for college or work so that children can get help where needed while still in high school.
� Require all students to take a core curriculum that prepares them for college or work. States would have to ensure that rigorous-sounding courses have the content to match.
� Hold high schools and colleges more accountable for graduating their students. States would have to improve data collection to track individual students through all grades and college.
-- The Associated Press"

What this could potentially mean is that there is less of a chance for students to experience a brad range of curriculum whether it be vocational or academic in nature. Will they have more opportunities to make connections to real life? or is this just tracking?
Another thing, this will lead to a downward shift to the middle schools and elementary schools and possibly change their curriculum to aide the high school curriculum. It is a dominoe effect.