The criticisms of the reading literacy study conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) are addressed. It is argued that the IEA literacy survey met requirements for valid international comparisons, and that its rank order of nations is fair. (SLD)

A collection of essays comparing educational policies of the United States and Australia is reviewed. The book is criticized for a lack of a sociocultural framework and a dearth of new material on American education but is commended for its contribution to the understanding of the Australian educational policy. (TJH)

Presents findings from this condensation of major studies of the differences among U.S., Chinese, and Japanese education. Explanations for the superior performance of Chinese and Japanese students are explored in the areas of home and parents, effort and ability, organization of schooling, and teachers and teaching. (SLD)