Dive Brief:
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A new study from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a leading surveyor of global education indicators, shows the U.S. ranking in the middle for most categories.
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In some areas, like pre-K enrollment numbers, the U.S has fallen behind, which is largely attributed to level stagnation while other countries make rapid improvements.
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USA Today reports that a "popular belief" that the U.S. is among the world's heaviest testers is also dispelled in the findigns.
Dive Insight:
The fact that the U.S. isn't administering more tests than many other countries may be a surprise to some, including those opposed to standardized testing mandates and Common Core.
Another surprise might be the rate of American adults who now hold a college degree "of some sort." Previously, the U.S. ranked second only to Israel; now, the U.S. has fallen to "just above" the OECD average. The U.S. also reportedly invests less GDP in education as compared to most other countries.
Next year, the OECD will partner with the Northwest Evaluation Association to deliver its exam to U.S. schools in 2016.