Gatto is specifically discussing public K-12 education in the U.S. And it's absolutely correct to describe that as a dismal failure, compared to other developed countries. Especially so when you look at outcomes for the most vulnerable sub-groups, which should arguably be the highest priority given that their family and social milieus cannot pick up the slack to anything near the same extent.
Education varies significantly from state to state in the US, even district to district in many areas. Some states compare very well internationally, like Massachusetts, which would be ranked as high as 4th by some international measurements, if it was its own country. We consistently see in the US where regions with better public schools have much better economic outcomes, and lower rates of poverty, crime, drug abuse, and suicide. There are plenty of alternative outcomes to look at in the US as well: high school drop outs for example which on average have a much lower lifetime earning potential, and higher rates of drug abuse, suicide and incarceration.
