Current syllabi and textbooks, in trying to cover every important idea, trivialize them all. The Coalition of Essential Schools believes that students will learn more if teachers are allowed to cover less. The advantages of a slower, thought-provoking curriculum, and recommendations for designing one, are provided. (BJV)

Many influential reviewers refuse to consider the central ideas and recommendations of Ravich and Finn in "What Do Our 17-Year Olds Know?" and Hirsch in "Cultural Literacy." One hopes this will not continue: the willingness of academicians to openly debate the problems and opportunities of improving our schools is crucial to…

The Coalition of Essential Schools promotes the following principles: (1) personalized instruction; (2) student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach; (3) focus on adolescents; (4) focus on essential skills and knowledge; (5) teachers as generalists; (6) diploma by exhibition of mastery; (7) goals for all students; (8) tone of expectation, trust, and…

Describes the following roles and duties of teachers working as a team in the Hope Essential High School: (1) plan the curriculum; (2) have flexible schedules; (3) have common planning time; (4) advise students; (5) choose own grading system; and (6) promote the ideal of student-as-worker. (BJV)