I graduated from high school 10 years ago. It was not mostly Rote memorization at the time, but I did get to see it turned into that. Starting the year after

I graduated from high school 10 years ago. It was not mostly Rote memorization at the time, but I did get to see it turned into that. Starting the year after I graduated, students were subjected to yearly standardized tests in all subjects they were taking. The tests were very comprehensive from an information standpoint. The student being passed onto the next grade was subject to ther score on this test and teachers were evaluated based on how their students did. The (state) program that required this was cancelled almost immediately, but schools had already invested heavilly in the program and so still continue to follow it here.