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[pinkskates4]

From MSNBC: Report seems to indicate that we're behind educationally, not because we don't spend enough, because disadvantaged kids can't learn, or because not every class is small enough.

I hope this will help us focus more on what actually works than simply insisting we need to spend more.

"United States students are continuing to trail behind their peers in a pack of higher performing nations, according to results from a key international assessment.

Scores from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment released Tuesday show 15-year-old students in the U.S. performing about average in reading and science, and below average in math. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math.

The United States spends more per student, on average, than other countries. In the 2009 PISA study, only Luxembourg spent more per student. The report notes that countries like Estonia and Poland perform at about the same level as the United States, while spending less than half the amount per student.

Schleicher noted that some of the top systems are centralized, while others are very decentralized. There was also much variation in class sizes, with some of the best performers finding success in putting quality teachers in larger classes. But in each case, teachers are subject to evaluations and have a high standing in society. Also, schools have a degree of autonomy in determining their curriculum — but are also held accountable.

The study found that the best school systems were also the most equitable, meaning students from disadvantaged backgrounds were just as likely to do well academically. In the U.S., 17 percent of the variation in student performance was found to be related to a pupil's background — compared to 9 percent, for example, in Canada."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40544897/ns/us_news-life/