I'm considerably more familiar with countries that have great innovation and great economic growth without unionized teachers. So how do we tease out the effects of unionization? What kinds of contracts do the teachers have in each country, and what kinds of choices do the parents have if the local school down the street isn't helping their children learn?

See Choice of Schools in Six Nations

http://www.amazon.com/schools-nations-Netherlands-Belgium-Br...

(published as a United States government document in the 1980s) for more information about Europe than I know personally.