Asian Teens Ace International Achievement Test, Outscoring U.S.

Fifteen-year-olds in Asia topped the charts on an international test, raising concern in the U.S. that the nation’s students lag in economic competitiveness.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development, which represents 34 countries, released yesterday the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment. For the first time, the triennial test broke out China’s Shanghai region -- which topped every country, in all academic categories. South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan all outpaced the U.S.