compared to other first world western countries it isnt that far ahead
Most countries in the OECD are not west, you're just narrowing this down to America+allies. Contrast America to the world, not just the EU. And America actually spends loads of money for each student, only Austria, Norway, Luxemburg, and Switzerland spend more each student. 80% American students are happy at school; 74% believe that their scholastic settings are ideal.
Americans marked average 491 on the most recent big multinational test, the PISA 2012. It was actually above OECD average, and was close to the OECD average for happiness in schools, while the higher-scoring countries generally were below average for happiness (see Hanguk's internationally leading suicide rates). Other countries: