CUNY officials say that pushing collegestandards higher is a deliberate effort to put pressure on the city's schools to prepare youngsters - particularly minority ones - better for college.

"We're spending $1 million a year preparing youngsters for the world of work."

Tracking softened during periods of national well-being, but the orbiting of Sputnik in 1957 started a debate on how well schools were preparing American youngsters to compete with the Soviets.

The school is opening shops that have stood empty much of the day and forging links to places like Woodhull Hospital that can help prepare youngsters for careers.

"Will there be time for the arts when additional attention might have to be paid to prepare youngsters for the Regents?"

Currently we often prepare youngsters poorly in primary schools, mistrain them in high school, and then graduate them with poor working habits.

His comments came after shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg suggested last week that lengthening the school day may be a good way of preparing youngsters for the world of work.

Foremost among its concerns is the state of the city's economy and the need for the school system to better prepare poor youngsters so that they can participate fully in the city's prosperity.

We try to prepare youngsters for work, as well as college.