Education in the United States has long been an issue of concern to teachers, parents, and communities. This is an important policy topic, where the government has shown continuous efforts to compare and evaluate standards from state to state by creating and monitoring various programs for overall academic improvement across the country. Proper education has now become a moral necessity for individuals and societies to grow and succeed. Some of the major problems in the US education system are the lack of equality in education and declining academic test scores. The United States spends more per student than any other OECD country, and other countries also appear to invest funds differently than we do. Furthermore, most countries invest money where the challenges are greatest. Many have highlighted the importance of higher teacher salaries over smaller class sizes. Largely, they emphasize teachers who specialize in a specific profession. (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, para. 25) Inadequate education has a compelling impact on industry, innovation, health, and the economy. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) “The price of school failure is high. People with lower levels of education are more likely to be unemployed and less able to contribute to both their own well-being and that of their societies” (www.oecd.org) In a 2009 global comparison conducted by the Program for International Assessment ( PISA), the US education system ranked well below countries such as Shanghai-China, Korea and Finland. This study is conducted every three years by evaluating 15-year-olds from 65 different countries with an assessment of the efficiency and quality of school systems. The 2009 survey required great attention to reading... at the center of the paper... on Cooperation and Economic Development. (2011). Education at a Glance OECD Indicators 2011 [Country Notes-United States]. Retrieved from www.oecd.org: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/7/32/48685294.pdfU.S. Department of Education. (2010, December 7, 2010). Remarks by Secretary Arne Duncan on the OECD's release of the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results [Report in Brief]. Retrieved from ED.gov: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/secretary-arne-duncans-remarks-oecds-release-program-international-student-assessmentU.S. Department of Education. (2010, December 7, 2010). Remarks by Secretary Arne Duncan on the OECD's release of the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results [Report in Brief]. Retrieved from ED.gov: www.ed.govU.S Department of Education. (2012). Promoting civic learning in democracy (). Washington, DC: US ​​Government Printing Office.