It has taken 30 years of fine-tuning for the Finns to come up with their current system. In addition to having a common curriculum, the Finns provide tutors and remedial educators to all students needing extra help throughout their education. I found it interesting that most resources are spent on students in the seventh through ninth grades, as that's a time when students have the most trouble keeping their academics a priority. Indeed.

While Finnish teachers earn less than their American counterparts, many teachers here might envy the autonomy Finnish teachers have in the classroom and the high regard given the teaching profession. However, to get that autonomy and prestige, Finnish teachers must have at least a master's degree. And it's a tight field--only one applicant in ten seeking to major in education is accepted at Finland's universities.

Finland has made high standards of public education a national priority. Even in difficult economic times, the country has maintained spending for education in order to ensure its future. And the tweaking and fine-tuning never stop. "We're trying to improve everything all the time," said one school's deputy principal. "We are a small country. We have to compete with knowledge and technology."

It seems to me that Finland is investing in well-trained teachers and then trusting them to make the right instructional decisions in the classroom. That makes a lot of sense. However, the article leaves me wondering about the level of diversity in a typical Finnish classroom, as well as about the support and involvement of parents with their children. Having taught middle school, I understand that kids seem to get distracted from their educational responsibilities during those years, but I question the wisdom of delaying spending until then.