Table of contents

Contents

Foreword vii

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