How many of these countries that spend less per pupil than the U.S. does for public education have a national public school system, i.e., a single set of standards that all pupils, schools and teachers must meet? Do they spend less per pupil because of economies of scale- they mass produce a single set of textbooks for the entire country where America may demand thousands of different versions of a textbook for the same subject and grade because each state and county school system can set its own standards?