A better way to teach math
Getting the students at the low end of the spectrum to "get math" is certainly a noble goal, but in order to have such a low variance in math ability at the end of the year, there's another required component - you have to keep the high end students below their potential.  As far as I'm concerned, anyone who claims otherwise has a high burden of proof.  Go take a remedial math class and turn it into a winning USAMO team and then get back to me.  High end math education (at least in the US) is just as poor as the low end, but because the scores are acceptable not as many people care.  Talk of "evening things out" is misguided.