[gitmo]

"On average, home school children test in the 80th percentile, which is 30 percentage points above the median," said Michael Smith of the Home School Legal Defense Association (search).
...
Public educators insist their only concern is that every child gets a good education.

In that case, why not require government schools to adopt the curricula of homeschoolers?

[ReagansShinyHair]

It's not the curricula, it's the different ability levels in the classroom. The classroom often lags behind to accommodate the lowest kids. The top ones stagnate, and teachers think it's ok because they are still passing. We are talking averages here. The lack of a scummy bottom in homeschooling and the lack of a creamy top in public schools means the averages are lowered and raised, respectively. Changing curricula will do nothing. 50 years ago the public schools were effective, and I don't think it was because of a different set of curricula.