Changing demographics and a push to increase academic rigor in U.S. education have created new challenges for K-12 schools as they try to prepare students for the world beyond high school, taking into account differing ambitions and different levels of skill and intelligence.
The range of options available for students taking the same course can vary widely. At Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, classes in world history -- a required course -- are taught at four levels: on-level, honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.
Some schools require students to meet certain requirements for higher-level classes, but Springbrook lets students make their own decisions.
There are 223 students in on-level world history; 119 students in honors; 90 students in AP; and 103 in IB. Here are scenes from the Springbrook classrooms on April 27.
The On-Level Course
In teacher Keiran Atwell's class, chairs are arranged in two sets of three rows, each set facing each other, with a large aisle in the middle. Atwell has several special education students in this class and is joined by an aide. Some students plan to go to college; others intend to work right after high school.
"Yesterday," Atwell said, starting the lesson as he stood before 16 students in third period, at 9:15 a.m., "we started talking about the Cold War. What was it?"
Most students were watching him, though two were talking to each other and one had his head down on the desk, turned away.
A student answered: "A competition between the United States and the Soviet Union."
"What," the teacher asked, "did the United States and the Soviet Union compete for?"
"Guns," a student said
"No," Atwell said.
"Markets," another student said.
