Most graduates from German public high schools speak at least one language other than German, usually English, fluently. They generally know about as much after 12 years as Americans do after completing an AA degree.
The US wastes far too much time and money on competitive sports for the very small minority (nearly all male) that play them. American schools generally have classes only 180 days per year, while in Western Europe and Japan, at least another 30 days are spent in classes, and the school day is longer. Most of these countries have NATIONAL standards, whereas in the US local school boards generally set the standards, if any. In the US, we do not prepare students for specific careers. Vocational studies are reserved for the "dummies", while a number of careers that are greatly needed (automotive electronics is a good example) require a deeper knowledge of match and sciences than revered careers like management and law.