<p>The comment about Ukraine reminded me of a trip I took over there back in 2003. A friend in Lugansk (Luhansk depending on where you find the name) took me to an elementary school to meet students. Apparently they had never seen a real live American so it was a treat for them. One of the classrooms I happened to walk into was a 4th grade class. They were working on algebra. I was thinking back to when I was in school (the 80’s) if you were a bright student you could take an algebra class in junior high (8th grade class only), if not you had to wait till high school. These kids were doing in 4th grade.
I have been working as a tutor & music teacher (private lessons) for 26 years & I would say home schooled kids are the brightest, followed by private/parochial schooled, then charter schools, & public schooled kids are dead last. I have never had a student from a boarding school or any other elite schools as there are not where I live. In any case I stand by the fact that in my opinion public schools have dumbed down kids.</p>