Indicators such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, secondary school standardized tests, and state assessment programs all ignore the value added by America's postsecondary education system, including community colleges, trade schools, and universities. Spending and participation levels for U.S. higher…

The sheer size of the United States discourages an outward-looking mentality. Such insularity is counterproductive, since the experiences of other countries, particularly Western Europe, can be illuminating. There, teachers have greater status and schooling standards are higher. Even Third World schools are major contributors to national…

Japanese students are tracked, not into different programs within a school, but into entirely different high schools--academic, vocational, and commercial--that educate them poorly. Virtually 100% of public school graduates would fail college entrance exams without the "juku," or cram school. Reforms are not imminent, since the current…

Between 1980 and 1986 federal support for education fell by 11 percent and number of disadvantaged students grew to 20 percent. In 1986 federal support for children had fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Evaluates congressional turnaround that began to increase federal support. U.S. business leaders expressed concern over U.S. educational…