Can someone please explain how we "evolved" to our current state of applying to high schools in Long Beach? The past few weeks have been just short of the process that I went through to decide which college to attend. Reading propaganda about various educational programs within and between high schools, listening to schools pitch the virtues of their programs, and visiting high school campuses to hear even more propaganda has been just a part of this insanity.
My eldest son has to literally apply to high schools and specific programs within those high schools. He has to decide which program or school best suites his academic needs and he has a score which is an accumulation of his GPA and standardized test scores.
Now I am somewhat overstating the overall effort required for this process as, for us, it definitely is easier (or at least I anticipate that it is easier) than what we will encounter when he starts applying to colleges. However, it is orders of magnitude more difficult and complicated than the process that I had of going to the high school that was in my district (where my family lived).
Will my son receive a better education because of the "choices" provided by this process?
Arguably, he might. But consider this, educators who knew my aptitude and some of my educational goals, recommended me for enrichment programs and advanced courses offered within our school district. I would like to think that educators could advise him in a similar manner. I just hope that in the intervening three years before my youngest goes to high school that the process does not get any worse.
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