However, middle school art teachers seem stuck in their little art project. I am not sure about high school, but it doesn't look like they teach the skills.
A great book. One of the exercises is to copy a picture turned 180 degrees, so that you're drawing exactly what you're seeing without the interference of your mind's prior knowledge of the subject.
I have a copy that I pass around via samizdat, because the mandatory drawing classes here are useless to students without the basic principles.
(Also worth noting: 'The Memory Book' by Lucas and Loraynne. Now back in print, an falling-apart copy got me through high school. I can still memorize a deck of cards in under ten minutes.)
I guess my teacher had an advantage with a psychology degree though.