Lack of variety in course offerings variety has been identified as one of the most detrimental aspects of today's school curriculum. The latest school reform movement's immediate goal is to increase enrollment in four core areas: math, science, computers, and foreign language. The movement's ultimate goal is to increase student achievement. To observe school characteristics before and after the reform movement's spark by the release of "A Nation at Risk," information from 59 schools' accreditation reports for 1979-80, 1984-85, and 1987-88 was analyzed to determine if the composition of curriculums has changed in the direction of the current reform movement and if those changes have had an effect on student outcomes. There has been a steady and significant increase in the offerings and enrollment in the four core areas. However, increases in math and language course participation were not accompanied by improved test scores. The relationship between test scores and the number of courses taken in a given discipline is not direct and may be counterintuitive. Data are illustrated in tables and graphs. (12 references) (EJS)