Overall average scale scores, reading, for U.S. and six comparison countries, PISA 2009 (with standardization for U.S. social class distribution)

Top scoring Similar post-industrial  U.S. U.S. versus:
Canada Finland Korea Average* France Germany U.K. Average* Top-scoring average Similar post-industrial average
National average reading score (from Table 1) 524 536 539 533 496 497 494 496 500 -33 +4
National average reading score, standardized for U.S. social class distribution 514 520 521 518 490 487 488 488 501 -18 +12
Difference between social class standardized reading scores and actual average reading scores -10 -15 -18 -15 -6 -10 -6 -7 +1

* Simple (unweighted) average of three countries

Source: Authors' analysis of OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 database for each country

View the underlying data on epi.org.