First thing- gavra_at_work–ONLY NY has regents. CA does not, but does have mandatory classes that must be taken. For example each child must have so and so many years of math, English, Social Studies, Science ect.
Second: why should women just learn how to bake cookies? Are men any better that women cannot learn academics? What about those girls who will excel in studies but happen to burn cookies. So they buy them!!!! Some people just cannot bake! Why cant a lady do anything else besides clean, cook, bake and sew? I can do all of these but I would sometimes rather delve into a science textbook! And what is wrong with learning tanach? memorizing is missing the point, but what about learning? Mussar and Hashkafa is best learned through texts as the children see a basis for it and “not their teacher making it up”!!!