Some of the biggest problems with the US education system are not problems with the US education system. They are problems of poverty that most other OECD countries either don't have or deal with by a stronger social welfare system.
Kids in poverty are missing classes, not doing homework, not able to concentrate because they are missing basic neccesities of life. Like a quiet room with a bed. Enough food. A ride to school when weather is bad. Clean clothes. A place to do homework. Pencils/papers/books/etc. An educated adult to help with homework. Etc, etc.
No amount of "education reform" is going to get much better performance from kids in such circumstances without the lower level problems being addressed. But for whatever reason, US policy tends to ignore this.
The most effective years of education I had involved zero homework, but admittedly a longer school day. Homework that requires aid from an educated adult is the school dodging the responsibility to teach by trying to farm it out to parents. Not to mention even educated parents can struggle with the ways in which concepts are now taught, referring back to their own knowledge/techniques and confusing the student.
Kids in poverty are missing classes, not doing homework, not able to concentrate because they are missing basic neccesities of life. Like a quiet room with a bed. Enough food. A ride to school when weather is bad. Clean clothes. A place to do homework. Pencils/papers/books/etc. An educated adult to help with homework. Etc, etc.
No amount of "education reform" is going to get much better performance from kids in such circumstances without the lower level problems being addressed. But for whatever reason, US policy tends to ignore this.