Norris says parents need to compare the study guides to what's actually in the textbooks. You can also study standardized test scores, report cards on the district and school performance. Ask to see research behind new teaching methods . American schools are notorious for trying new, often unproven methods. When a curriculum is introduced is the time to look closely at it.
Many schools use curricula based on biased research that is anecdotal or uses small samples.
Join a reform group. Education reform movements are spreading across the country. Some of the nation's most prestigious groups were started by concerned parents. Vukmir now heads the reform group Parents Raising Education Standards in Schools. Clopton and other San Diego parents founded Mathematically Correct in '95 after they saw their kids weren't learning.