re: America spends a lot more money on k-12 education than comparable countries

Taught for 22 years here in EBR. The money is wasted every two years on a "new curriculum" .Each time a new curriculum in introduced the textbooks must be replaced. Have you seen the price of a new textbook? EBR blew a ton of cash putting computers in every classroom for each student. The textbooks are online but they have to be paid for. Instructional time is wasted. Many (not all)children/parents do not value education. Building new schools: new schools are nice but do we really need palaces (if someone really wants to learn they can learn from a teacher teaching in a lean to shed). Standardized testing costs a barge load of money and it is run by a monopoly ( every EBR high school student is taking (and retaking) the ACT on our dime). By the way, if you want to pass the LEAP test you can with a score of 50. On of my most prized textbooks from LSU was a 1929 Calculus textbook I bought for $2.99 and it was light years better than the current textbook. Bottom line is the money is being pipelined off to "instructional resources" and not even reaching the teachers or really helping the students. I now work in engineering/construction and it is like a vacation compared to teaching.