About National Assessment Day

Our Mission

National Assessment Day exists to encourage Americans to take an honest, data-driven look at their country — not with pessimism, but with the constructive spirit of a nation that believes it can do better.

We love the United States. That is precisely why we think it deserves honest evaluation. The countries that consistently outperform the U.S. in health, education, and quality of life are not doing so because they are lucky or different in some fundamental way — they are doing so because they have made different choices. Those choices are available to us too.

National Assessment Day is observed on February 27 each year. On this day — and in the weeks around it — we invite every American to spend a few minutes reviewing the rankings, reading the analysis, and asking: What can we do differently?

History

This site was founded in 2011 by a private citizen who noticed a paradox: Americans are deeply proud of their country, yet rarely examine how it is actually performing relative to the rest of the world. International comparisons exist — in academic journals, government reports, and think-tank publications — but they rarely reach ordinary people in an accessible, nonpartisan format.

The original goal was simple: compile the most important international rankings into a single annual review, free of political spin, so that any interested American could find them in one place. That goal remains unchanged.

The site has grown over the years to include more metrics, updated data, and better analysis. We now track rankings across seven categories — Business, Education, Health, Society, Military, Technology, and Environment — and update all rankings annually.

How to Contribute

This site is maintained by volunteers. There are several ways to help:

• Report outdated data: If you find a more recent figure for any ranking, please send us the source link and updated value.
• Suggest new metrics: We are always looking for well-sourced, internationally comparable measures to add to the rankings table.
• Spread the word: Share this site with friends, family, and community groups. National Assessment Day works best when more people participate.
• Contribute analysis: If you have expertise in any of the categories we cover and want to contribute to the Synopsis, reach out.

Contact us at: [email protected]

Historical Data Archive

For research and comparison purposes, we preserve the original rankings compiled in earlier years of the site. These reflect the data and sources available at the time, and have not been updated.

Note: These archive pages use the original format and styling. Some links within them may no longer be active.

Principles

• Nonpartisan: We do not advocate for any political party. Good rankings should be celebrated regardless of which administration achieved them; poor rankings should be acknowledged regardless of which party is in power.
• Data-driven: Every ranking is sourced from a published, citable report from a recognized international organization. We do not fabricate or estimate rankings.
• Balanced: We include measures where the U.S. leads as well as measures where it lags. The goal is an honest picture, not a lament.
• Transparent: Every entry in the rankings table links to its original source. You should be able to verify every figure we publish.
• Constructive: We focus on what can be improved and how, not on assigning blame.