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California, the last 11 years, for my (now) teens:

Elementary school: you do things for your school and get “extra credit” for it. Not mandatory, but no kid refuses as it’s done as a class. So becomes de facto part of your grade.

Middle School: recommended hours of community service in the immediate community (neighborhood and on campus). Things such as cleaning yards for neighbors who have their yards trashed as students walk to and from school. Awards given to those who serve. Irony Award anyone?

High School: 60 hours (minimum) REQUIRED for graduation. You cannot attend graduation, attend any graduation events, prom is predicated on nearing the 60 hours, and you don’t receive a diploma. This requirement is drilled into the students for the full four years and gets pretty insane for seniors who refuse. This is the best high school in the county where a 4.0 (in tough classes) ranks you 56/500 students making you ineligible for auto UC acceptance, 5% rank rule.

Trust me, it doesn’t encourage what they think. My kids are great and they, like most others, were encouraged to think like a weasel and see how they could get the hours the easiest and fastest way. I do not like how it turned my once charitable giving children into doing it only for the hours.

For those who think I should have put them in private, the private school system here (unless you have 13K per year per child at one good school) is even worse. :-( Homeschooling could not provide the specific education both my kids needed, though I do help homeschool my nephews and wish I could have done the same for mine.

Sounds like it's been going on a long time in your areas. I've been blissfully ignorant.

I do not like how it turned my once charitable giving children into doing it only for the hours.

That's what 'forced' volunteering will do!

For those who think I should have put them in private, the private school system here (unless you have 13K per year per child at one good school) is even worse. :-( Homeschooling could not provide the specific education both my kids needed, though I do help homeschool my nephews and wish I could have done the same for mine.

I now wish I had homeschooled my son the entire time. Oh, well. He's been in every type of school environment available. Homeschooling was by far the best, but public school was ahead of the private schools and even a charter school. The best I can do now is help others NOT make the same mistakes.

I hear ya on private schools. Many are no better than public schools, some are even worse. I taught for a short time in an expensive (for our area) private school that touted 'academic excellence'. The reality was anything but. It was all about getting the tuition money and giving out A's in return. Parents were ignorantly happy, until their little darlings went to college and had to take all remedial classes! It's caveat emptor where private schools are concerned.