On international comparisons, the highest scoring students from other countries often beat our best and by a good margin. The answer may have to do with incentives. In many other countries, admission to college is a challenge. Openings are limited and college entrance exams pressure students to study long hours. Much of American high school students' spare time is spent working a job, driving, and socializing instead of studying.
Immediate gratification wins out over the long-term gain from hitting the books.
This explains why remedial education has expanded so broadly at the university level. In addition, employers rarely use high-school transcripts to judge a young person's potential on the job. Democrats support smaller classes, school modernization, and teacher development, while Republicans back tax credits and vouchers. We need to consider ways to increase incentives for student effort.