Why Comparing Countries’ Educational Performance Doesn’t Make As Much Sense As You Think

Many other countries to which the U.S. compares itself are 1) much smaller and 2) more centralized.  The U.S. is massive and education is a state issue so its policies and practices vary greatly fifty times over.  That’s the insight from Stanford researcher Dr. Martin Carnoy, a much needed reminder in plain talk of where we should direct our attention if we really want to improve public education. (For a reminder of just how eclectic state education law can be, check out this reminder of what Alabama has on the books today.)