Shanghai ranked first in math , reading and science among 15- and 16-year - olds . East Asian economies perform better than other economies in all three categories . `` The Shanghai government will spend a lot of resources in making sure that each teacher is well trained , has opportunities to go abroad , ( and ) has opportunities to learn from the best teachers . '' The United States ranks below average for the 65 countries assessed . Test scores have stalled or deteriorated in most countries .
Shanghai ranked first in math , reading and science among 15- and 16-year - olds . East Asian economies perform better than other economies in all three categories . The United States ranks below average for the 65 countries assessed . Test scores have stalled or deteriorated in most countries .