The news about American education can be depressing.  It seems as though there are only bad things to report; our students are not competitive with their international peers, budgets are being cut and teachers are losing their jobs, standards are being raised but performance is not increasing, etc.  But there is encouragement in a recent New York Times article that things aren't as bad as they seem, at least things aren't as bad as they could be.  

Reportedly, French academics are attracted to post-secondary studies in the US.  And not only do they typically come for a degree or two, but they tend to end up making the US their homes.  According to the article, the US system is more completely developed, supported, and respected which makes for an attractive package for those inclined to pursue the utmost in their fields of study.

The American education system does have some issues but overall it still presents an attractive challenge for those seeking recognition and achievement in a specific area.  The trick is to make sure that the elementary and secondary system in the US produce students who not only desire to pursue post-secondary education, but who are also capable of competing for the spots available in those programs.