We have a daughter that just completed 9th grade. She has had WAY more school work and homework than I ever had (back in early 80's).

Her backpack is so heavy from books, that she literally has back pain from the load that she has to carry back and forth from school to home. In fact, she started the school with a brand new backpack and by the end of the year the strap had tore away which required us to purchase another one.

I've seen first hand then amount of work that she has to complete and the tests that she has taken. In today's schools, they offer more higher education prep classes for collage as well as classes that qualify for actual college credit.

I for one do not believe the standards are less than they were when I was going to school 20 years ago...