New Math education is successful in France but failed miserably in the U. S. (1960s) because of ONE simple reason: Math teacher’s quality and quantity.
In France, each year the best of the undergraduate Math students are selected via the CONCOURS for Ecole Normale Supérieure – the Top university in France, and the World’s BEST incubator for Fields Medalists.
Below is a report by a Chinese Math educator studying the French Math Education success:
[Source:]
法国中学数学教材的特色 (The unique characteristics of French Secondary School New Math Syllabus)