Is the education standard in the USA too low?

No the standards are not too low; the method of education in this country is backwards. When you take away something that balances a student you cause challenges in other areas. No discipline at home, the teachers have to deal with behavior before they can deliver the information necessary to bring the student to educational proficiency; In addition there are too many teaching styles in the schools. Students are no taught to think and to process information just to memorize this is terrible when it comes to test taking. So the standard is not low just our expectations od the student.