At first this book made me terrified of when my children start school as the author outlines many problems with the American school system. Of course she does not claim that all children will encounter these problems. I'm glad I kept reading because the information and action steps in this book show parents how to help their children have the best school experience possible. I did not read the last section of the book (Part V: Opting Out), which was about homeschooling. While the author homeschooled her own children writes in this section about homeschooling, she does say, "Not everyone can, or should, homeschool."