As noted above, U.S. 4th graders do fairly well in mathematics and science, but by the time they graduate from high school, U.S. students are nowhere near being "first in the world" in either subject.

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Too many of our students are not graduating from high school, and they never receive the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in higher education or in the workplace.

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The reason for this is because, according to the Department of Education, high school students are not technically enrolled in a degree-granting program because they do not yet have a college diploma, even though they are earning college credits.

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Students of Saudi high school textbooks are instructed to consult his writings when they face vexing moral questions.

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The drama teacher at Hingham High School outside Boston says her students are talking less about "Glee" than they used to, and she hopes "Smash" will offer a deeper look into the theater world.

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High-school, college and graduate-school teachers and students are often released because they will miss classes.

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"They are also involved and engaged with their mobile phones very strongly, " added Takahashi, noting that 96 percent of high school students own a cell phone in Japan.

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