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A new study has revealed that America ranks lower than many other developed countries when it comes to education.
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America’s education system
Let’s take a look at where America’s education system ranks in comparison to other countries. We’ll also examine some of the reasons why America might not be at the top of the list.
Primary and secondary education
In the United States, children typically begin primary school at age five or six and finish around age eleven or twelve. Secondary education (also called high school) starts at age thirteen or fourteen and ends at age eighteen.
The United States has a variety of educational options for students after high school. Students can choose to attend a traditional four-year college or university, a two-year community college, or a career or technical school.
The United States ranks ninth in the world for the percentage of citizens with a college degree, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). However, the country ranks only thirty-ninth when it comes to the percentage of young adults (aged 25-34) with a college degree.
Higher education
In the United States, higher education is unique in that there is no federal government involvement or control as there is in most other countries. There are over 4,500 colleges and universities in the United States, and each one is independent and autonomous. This system creates a great deal of diversity, but it also results in huge variations in quality from one institution to the next.
There are many different types of higher education institutions in the United States. The most common are public colleges and universities, which are supported by state and local taxes. Private colleges and universities do not receive government funding, but they may be supported by private donations or endowments. There are also for-profit colleges, which are businesses that exist to make a profit for their owners.
The vast majority of students in the United States attend public colleges and universities. These schools vary widely in their quality, but they tend to be less expensive than private schools. Private colleges and universities are often more selective in their admissions processes, and they usually have higher graduation rates than public schools. For-profit colleges have come under fire in recent years for high dropout rates and aggressive marketing practices.
The quality of higher education in the United States varies greatly from one institution to the next. Some schools offer an excellent education that prepares students well for successful careers, while others leave students ill-prepared for the real world. It is important to do your research before choosing a school to make sure you will be getting a quality education.
America’s ranking
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, America ranked 37th in the world for education in 2018. In the past, America has been ranked as high as 4th in the world. So, what caused America to fall in ranking?
International comparisons
In terms of international comparisons, America does not fare as well. In the 2016 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study, “Education at a Glance,” the United States ranked 35th out of 38 countries in math and 24th out of 38 countries in science. In reading, the U.S. ranked 28th out of 38. This puts the United States behind countries like Estonia, Poland, and Greece in math; Vietnam, Slovenia, and Hungary in science; and Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovakia in reading
How America ranks compared to other developed countries
The United States ranks below average among developed countries when it comes to education, according to a new report.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) annual education study, released Tuesday, shows that the US ranks 36th out of 38 developed countries when it comes to the quality of its educational system. The study looked at a number of factors, including test scores, graduation rates and the percentage of young adults who have completed some form of tertiary education.
The US ranks particularly low on maths and science scores, with just 31% of 15-year-olds meeting the OECD’s standards in math, and 24% meeting the standards in science. In comparison, the average math score among developed countries is 48%, and the average science score is 46%.
The US also has one of the highest rates of school dropouts among developed countries, with nearly one in five students failing to finish high school. In contrast, the dropout rate in Japan is less than 3%.
The study points to inequality as a major factor contributing to America’s poor performance. It notes that students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to drop out of school and perform poorly on standardized tests. The report also highlights America’s high level of income inequality as a barrier to educational success.
“Income inequality has increased over recent decades in many OECD countries and this has made it harder for lower-income households to invest in their children’s education,” said Angel Gurria, OECD secretary-general. “Countries must do more to ensure that everyone can benefit from high-quality teaching.”
The implications of America’s ranking
According to the most recent data, America ranks 37th in the world for education. This is a concerning number for a developed nation. There are a number of implications of this ranking. First, it means that American students are not receiving the education they need to compete on a global scale. Second, it has downstream implications for the economy. A nation with a poorly educated workforce will have a harder time competing in the global marketplace.
For the economy
While a country’s educational system is not the only factor that contributes to its overall success, it is certainly an important one. The United States has long been considered a leader in education, but it now ranks behind several other industrialized nations. This is troubling news for the economy, as countries with better-educated citizens tend to have stronger economies.
The United States ranks 27th in the world in math and 20th in science, according to the most recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). That puts the US behind countries like Canada, Japan, and most of Europe. In reading, the US ranks 16th. These rankings are based on a test called the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tests 15-year-olds in 65 different countries.
While the US has always ranked behind some other countries in education, the gap is widening. In 2000, for example, the US ranked 5th in the world in math. Now, it ranks 27th. The US isn’t just falling behind; other countries are pulling ahead.
This decline has implications for the economy. A better-educated workforce is more productive and can create more wealth for a country. Countries with strong economies are better able to provide their citizens with a high standard of living. They can also invest more in areas like infrastructure and research and development, which further improves their economic competitiveness.
The good news is that there are steps that can be taken to improve America’s educational ranking. Investing more in education is one way to do this. improving teacher quality and providing more resources for students are also important steps that can help raise America’s ranking and keep its economy strong.
According to the OECD, the United States ranks 27th in social mobility. This means that if you are born into a low-income family in the United States, you have a smaller chance of moving up the economic ladder than if you were born into a similar family in most other developed countries.
This is significant because social mobility is linked to economic growth. When people can move up the economic ladder, they create more opportunities for everyone. They start businesses, they innovate, and they create jobs. A country with high social mobility is a country with more opportunity for everyone.
The United States has always been a country of opportunity, but our ranking shows that we are not doing as well as we could be when it comes to giving everyone a fair chance to succeed. We can and should do better.
For international competitiveness
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings are based on tests given to 15-year-olds in 72 countries and economies. The most recent PISA results, from 2015, show that the United States ranks 38th in reading literacy, 24th in science literacy and 40th in mathematical literacy. In other words, American students are not performing at the same level as students in many other developed countries.
This has implications for America’s competitiveness in the global economy. A country’s ability to compete depends on the skills of its workforce. If American students are not well-educated, they will not be able to get good jobs and contribute to the economy. This will make it difficult for America to compete with other countries that have more educated workers.
The PISA rankings should be a wake-up call to America. We need to do better if we want to compete in the global economy.
