Are Schools Failing?

We just happen to have the world’s most productive work force, the largest economy, the highest material standard of living, more Nobel prizes than the rest of the world com bined. the best system of higher educa tion, the best space program, the best high-tech medicine, and the strongest mil itary. And in most of these categories the gap is widening rather than narrowing. These things could not have been ac complished with second-rate systems of public education. (p. 12)