In addition to the challenge to be excellent, American schools have been facing novel problems. They must (1)______ with an influx of immigrant children, many of whom speak little or no English. They must respond to demands (2) _____ the curriculum reflects the various cultures of all children. Schools must make sure that students develop (3) _____ skills for the job market, and they must consider the needs of nontraditional students, such as teenage mothers.
Schools are (4) ________ these problems in ways that reflect the diversity of the US educational system. They are hiring or training large numbers of teachers of English (5) ________ a second language and, in some communities, setting up bilingual schools. They are opening (6) ________ the traditional European-centered curriculum to embrace material from African, Asian, and other cultures.
Schools are also teaching congnitive skills to the (7) ________ 40 percent of American students who do not go on to higher education. In the (8) ________ of a recent report by the Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, “A strong back, the willingness to work, and a high school diploma were once all that was necessary to (9) ________ a start in America. They are no longer. A well-developed mind, a continued willingness to learn and the ability to put knowledge to work are the new keys (10) ________ the future of our young people, the success of our business, and the economic well-being of the nation.”
(Extracted from InfoUSA-CD Version)