In international tests administered to students in dozens of nations, U.S. fourth graders rank in the top 30% for reading and for math. However, the relative performance of U.S. students declines over time, and by the age of 15, they drop to the bottom 50% in reading and to the bottom 20% in math. This is in spite of the fact that the U.S. ranks 4th among 33 developed nations in average spending per student, and the spending per U.S. student is 35% above the average of these nations.