There were 2 major exams throughout a kid's school life: in both you were judged on how well you performed in the entire state. A typical question from the English paper (6 hours closed book): "Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona is nothing more than a rehash of Plautus' Manachme Twins - Discuss." Those doing WWII history, had to know German in order to read Mein Kampf in the original ... etc, etc ...
When I wen to university (classics) the prerequiste BEFORE the first class started was to have translated all of Virgil's Aeneid ...
And to this day, I still know how to derive the sin-cosine of 30 degrees, 60 degree angles from first principles...
What's the difference? American kids are just as smart as Australian just not as well educated and the reason is the PC crap in American schools and lack of discipline trains the kids not to achieve, since "we are all winners". Also, there is no shame attached to ignorance. In Australia, there is.
Says the person who grew up in Australia. Let me axe you: we so ignorant, how's come we do so good?
Hint: it isn't in the tools you give the average kid, it's the opportunities you give your best and brightest.
Probably ten years ago, I was at a bar in a beach resort town, and heard a young woman speaking in a charming accent which I recognized as Australian. Striking up a conversation with her, I asked where she was from. She said, "Australia." I said, "Yes, but wherein?" Very doubtfully, she said "Melbourne". I said, "Sure - I know where that is." Her jaw dropped in disbelief and she said, "You're the first American I've talked to who has even heard of it." I was mortified.