In a global economy, stakeholders need to keep themselves well-informed in terms of how their local schools perform when compared with schools across the country and around the world. In doing so, they will be able to consider how well their schools are doing in a larger context and identify strengths as well as areas to target for improvement. This report answers two questions: (1) How do Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) high schools do compared with the U.S. national and international averages? Also, how well are WCPSS students prepared for problem-solving, scientific reasoning; and (2) critical thinking? In answering these questions, the first part of this report focuses on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the second on College and Work Readiness Assessment Plus (CWRA+). This report aims to open discussions on how teaching can best develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As WCPSS schools are committed to the Strategic Plan--Vision 2020, promotion of critical thinking and problem-solving skills will continue.