A century ago, the United States was a world leader in industrial benchmarking. However, after World War II, once no one could compete with the U.S., it became complacent. Many industrialized countries now have higher student achievement and more equitable and efficient education systems. A higher proportion of young people in their workforces have the equivalent of high school diplomas and four-year college degrees. Furthermore, it has cost them less per student to climb to the top than it has cost the United States to fall to mediocrity. The author's organization, the National Center on Education and the Economy, has been researching the countries with the strongest records in education for the last 23 years. The aim has been to identify the common principles underlying their successful strategies. In this article, the author shares five recommendations based on these principles for how America's public schools might emulate global pacesetting education systems. These recommendations are intended for the states, not the national government. They also suggest some lessons for local school leaders.