Dashton is enthusiastic about the number thirty-two. Why? Because thirty-two is the United States' global ranking on an international mathematics test, as highlighted in this video, which includes important points from the new book Endangered Prosperity: A Global View of the American School by Hoover senior fellows Eric Hanushek and Paul E. Peterson and University of Munich professor Ludger Woessmann. The video and book compare the performance of American schools to that of other nations, documenting how the mediocre performance of US students is not only a problem for policymakers and educators but a concern for all American citizens; failing schools today translate to disappointing futures tomorrow.
Also see Hanushek and Peterson's Wall Street Journal op-ed, The Vital Link of Education and Prosperity and their other video (Part 1 and Part 2) discussing the book.
