draw- ing up stiffer competency tests for students and teachers, and setting detailed curriculum requirements. Today, a proposed California law would force teachers to spend 200 minutes per week on the arts. Other states are variously mandating stronger programs in alcohol-abuse education, vocational training, and ethnic history.
Atkin argues that added state requirements could narrow the range of serious subjects that local schools can offer. The problem will be exacerbated if public schools-now...