This is exactly right. The US system has it's flaws, but other systems are just as bad or worse. The problem is the divide between rich, middle class and poor.

This is exactly right. The US system has it's flaws, but other systems are just as bad or worse. The problem is the divide between rich, middle class and poor. Poor kids just don't score nearly as high on tests than middle class and wealthy kids. Of course, I don't have the stats or evidence, but I suspect if you took out our (USA) bottom 20% and the other countries bottom 20%, you would see a much more even comparison. Just a theory.