<p>K - 12 is lacking tremendously. Program needs to be demolished. Yes, it is a good idea to look at other countries. No, it is not a good idea to look at profeesional development at 12. It is a good idea to prepare EVERYONE for college. There are no stupid kids (aside from certain illnesses), all could be taught and given enough background to go to college. Not everybody will decide to do so, which is fine. But, it definitely will benefit society as a whole. Kids love to be challenged, they hate to be bored, despite of adults’s opinions. Yes, problems need to be hard to get brain going. Yes, hard problems should be for everybody, not selected few. Young person needs to learn to work hard to achieve, not to glide thru and get passed from one class to another. Physics absolutely cannot be taught in one year, impossible task. The best teachers realize it and teach only small and most difficult part of it. This is just one example. The same goes for many other subjects. Knowing English very well is very good, but it is not enough by far. Education is not just English, there are other classes that develop critical thinking, they are lacking in a big way in k -12.</p>