Table of contents
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
1 An Economic Future Imperiled 1
2 Human Capital and Economic Prosperity 17
3 A Global View of U.S. Student Proficiency Rates 33
4 U.S. Advanced Performance in Global Perspective 47
5 Economic Benefits of Higher Performance 57
6 A Global View of Growth in U.S. Achievement 69
7 Substantive Concerns and Political Obstacles 85
Appendixes
A Methodology for Comparing U.S.
and International Performance 105
B Two Measures of Reading Proficiency 117
Notes 121
References 133
Index 141