Although the financial resources of the schools vary greatly, each teaches a basic curriculum recommended by the state in addition to courses in Islamic studies and Arabic. Rural School Succeeds by Adopting Tough Standards and Accountability Pleasant Grove Elementary, a public one-school district in a rural area near Sacramento, California, was struggling with declining enrollments about six years ago. At that time the school board hired Jeff Holland, a principal who aggressively pursued the state's emphasis on tough standards and accountability. By taking the lead on standards-based instruction, Pleasant Grove has attained some of the highest test scores in the region. Today each grade follows an explicit set of standards that say exactly what students are expected to learn in each subject.
Teachers receive extensive training in standards-based instruction.
Due to its success with standards and its small nurturing environment, more and more parents are transferring their children to Pleasant Grove. For the first time ever, the school has a waiting list. As home schooled students become older and their needs become more varied, parents have been turning to a new breed of online courses to augment home schooling. These online schools are allowing parents to provide standardized, accredited education to their children while they remain in their own homes. Online schools can also provide benefits for children with special needs who may find traditional schools difficult to navigate.