Reading Competencies: Are we making the grade?

I don't know about you, but this question has been on my mind...and in the news.  Our government spends a lot of money each year on education, but it is working?  How do our students really measure up with students from other nations?

Here is a chart taken from a study performed in 2009 that ranks the overall literacy:

American Assn. of Arts & Sciences

For further details, please click on the link here -  international reading competencies.  Competency rankings for other subjects are listed in the right hand column.  What's interesting is that the Norwegian countries like Sweden and Denmark and the Netherlands aren't included in this ranking.  Traditionally, those countries budget far less money than Americans, yet their performance is generally thought of as being some of the highest in the world.  Some would say this is because of a connection between Swedish social values and education, with social cohesiveness being a priority.  Sweden is currently ranked 12th in the world for government spending on education, which is 24 times higher than the United States, who is currently ranked 39th (nationmaster.com).  Yes, I'm scratching my head, too...

American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2014).  Humanities Indicators.  Retrieved from http://www.humanitiesindicators.org/content/indicatorDoc.aspx?i=174

Nation master (3013-2014).  Country vs country: Sweden and United States compared: Education stats.  Retrieved from: http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Sweden/United-States/Education

O'Brien, L. M. (2007). A school for everyone?: The swedish school system's struggles to reconcile societal goals with school and classroom practices. Childhood Education, 83(6), 374. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/62046164?accountid=12085