I was lucky.  I went to a Catholic grade and high school.  Went I started college I found out I had a leg up on students from public schools.  Many of the textbooks in my 1st 2 years were ones I had used in High School.  Years latter when I worked with youth, 14 to 18 year olds I was amazed that the youth were in high school but had limited ability to solve simple math problems, poor reading skills and little science knowledge.  The public schools had passed them on.  The question is why?  We know the public schools are failing.  Is it the Administration or the teachers?  Is it the curriculum being taught? Is more time spent on social engineering then basic classes?  The big fear is DeVos will be successful.