Is PISA "a Sputnik wake-up" or are international comparisons invalid. Rather than wade into that debate, I'd rather look more closely at the questions in the PISA test and what student responses tell us about American education. You can put international comparisons aside for that analysis.

Are American students able to analyze, reason and communicate their ideas effectively? Do they have the capacity to continue learning throughout life? Have schools been forced to sacrifice creative problem solving for “adequate yearly progress” on state tests?

I focus on a sample PISA question that offers insights into what American students can (and cannot do) in my post "Stop Worrying About Shanghai, What PISA Test Really Tells Us About American Students" http://bit.ly/eChNoY

Nyet, is not wake up call. Zombies can't be awakened and it isn't the students who are the walking dead. Our system isn't about excellance but other agendas. Parents want their children to graduate, even if they can't think or communicate. Principals want to make AYP even if it destroys the fiber of education. And with Race to the Top, teachers will be paid based on how well they can get students to jump through hoops. Where is the student's part in this? And we wonder why the American student is falling behind. They have little at stake. Imagine playing a game where you neither reap the rewards nor suffered the agony of defeat. When our students are no longer pawns in the system, then they will perform.