Americans Are Way Behind In Math, Vocabulary, And Technology

The United States ranks lower than other developed countries in many key skills, according to a new report.

A new global report (pdf) by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development finds that Americans rank well below the worldwide average in just about every measure of skill. In math, reading, and technology-driven problem-solving, the United States performed worse than nearly every other country in the group of developed nations.

Americans have trouble with words…
 
The report defines literacy as the “ability to understand, evaluate, use and engage with written texts to participate in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential” (p. 63). Only 78.3 percent of American adults reached a Level 2 (out of 5) in literacy, less than all other OECD members save Spain and Italy (p. 69). The average level of literacy in the U.S. is on par with that of Cyprus, Poland, and Austria (p. 65).