At a time of persistent unemployment, especially among the less skilled, many wonder whether American schools are adequately preparing students for the 21st-century global economy. Despite high unemployment rates, firms are experiencing shortages of educated workers, outsourcing professional-level work to workers abroad, and competing for the limited number of employment visas set aside for highly skilled immigrants. The challenge is particularly great in math, science, and engineering. According to Internet entrepreneur Vinton Cerf, "America simply is not producing enough of its own innovators, and the cause is twofold--a deteriorating K-12 education system and a national culture that does not emphasize the importance of education and the value of engineering and science." To address the issue, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Coalition was formed in 2006 to "raise awareness in Congress, the Administration, and other organizations about the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace." In this paper the authors view the proficiency of U.S. students from a global perspective. Although they provide information on performances in both reading and mathematics, their emphasis is on student proficiency in mathematics, the subject many feel to be of greatest concern.