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Countries around the world are striving to improve their educational systems with a view to improving their economy and society. In this global competition, national and international test results are of considerable interest. In this paper, we show that national testing in England and the USA have shown little or no improvement over the years. This finding is not isolated; it appears to be a global phenomenon. Data from large-scale international assessments such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS are remarkably stable over time. This paper reviews the trends from country-specific and international data and explores some of the reasons which have been offered for such stability. We argue that these explanations are insufficient and ways forward are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aims to examine the relationship between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and cognitive function in later life within nationally representative samples of older adults in the United States and England, investigate whether these effects are mediated by later-life SEP, and determine whether social mobility from childhood to adulthood affects cognitive function and decline. Method Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA), we examined the relationships between measures of SEP, cognitive performance and decline using individual growth curve models. Results High childhood SEP was associated with higher cognitive performance at baseline in both cohorts and did not affect the rate of decline. This benefit dissipated after adjusting for education and adult wealth in the United States. Respondents with low childhood SEP, above median education, and high adult SEP had better cognitive performance at baseline than respondents with a similar childhood background and less upward mobility in both countries. Discussion These findings emphasize the impact of childhood SEP on cognitive trajectories among older adults. Upward mobility may partially compensate for disadvantage early in life but does not protect against cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care systems in England and the United States are under similar pressures to provide higher quality, more efficient care in the face of aging populations, increasing care complexity, and rising costs. In 2010 and 2011, major strategic reports were published in the two countries with recommendations for how to strengthen their respective nursing workforces to address these challenges. In England, it was the 2010 report of the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery, Front Line Care: The Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England. In the United States, it was the Institute of Medicine’s report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. The authors of both reports recommended shifting entry level nursing education to the baccalaureate degree and building capacity within their educational systems to prepare nurses as leaders, educators, and researchers. This article will explore how, with contrasting degrees of success, the nursing education systems in the United States and England have responded to these recommendations and examine how different regulatory and funding structures have hindered or enabled these efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined preservice teachers' (PSTs) knowledge of basic language constructs across four different English-speaking teacher preparations programs. A standardized survey was administered to participants from Canada (n = 80), England (n = 55), New Zealand (n = 26), and the USA (n = 118). All participants were enrolled in undergraduate university programs that led to teacher certification for general education in the primary grades. Our data reveal that preservice teachers from all four countries show patterns of relative strength in areas that were targeted to be crucial within their national initiatives. Nevertheless, in general, PSTs demonstrated a lack of knowledge of certain constructs needed to teach early reading skills. The results are discussed in relation to research reports and initiatives regarding beginning reading instruction from each of the four countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]