A major reason for the public's concern about curriculum and instruction at all levels of education has evolved because of the serious decline in student academic achievement. After two decades of innovation in teaching styles there are increasing complaints about academic grade inflation, functional illiteracy, and student inability to read, write, and compute with ease and/or accuracy. Rather than placing blame for this phenomenon on teachers, the effects of innovative methodology, permissive attendance policies, and lower academic standards should be examined. Open door admissions to community colleges need not be accompanied by lowered academic standards if teachers present course material in a highly organized, moderately paced manner, using testing that is both objective and subjective, and realistic grading. Remedial instruction should be reserved for extremely high risk students, with honors classes for those of superior ability. Such academic upgrading would increase student performance, raise public confidence, and give respect to college diplomas, thus benefiting both non-traditional and traditional students. When all students are learning substantive material taught by serious, concerned teachers, they will be inspired to higher levels of achievement. (Author/RT)