This is a multi-faceted response, but I will elaborate on one facet. Based on the PISA and TIMMS scores we are at the bottom of so many countries. If you look at the top 5 countries on the list, their education systems are centralized. There is one Ministry of Education and every kid in the country who goes to a public/ government school receives the same curriculum. In the U.S., we have a decentralized education system where each State gets to decide the curriculum. The funding is not the same across all school districts and hence the resources that a school receives is not the same either. The quality of education is dependent on the local tax dollars and there is great disparity between the wealth from one county to another. I live in one of the most wealthiest school districts in the US (easily top 10 or 15), and my children received an education that was akin to a private school education. However, I can't say the same about the school districts that are 20 to 30 miles from where I live, unfortunately. In summary, there is no equity!