International Study Shows Select Improvements in U.S. Math and Science

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Press release NSF
December 14, 2004

Media contact:  Bill Noxon, NSF, (703) 292-7750, wnoxon@xxxxxxx

INTERNATIONAL STUDY SHOWS SELECT IMPROVEMENTS IN U.S. MATH AND SCIENCE
PERFORMANCE =AD GAINS ALSO SEEN AMONG SOME MINORITY STUDENTS
U.S. blacks, Latinos show modest but significant gains at fourth and eighth
grades



ARLINGTON, Va.=97 The United States made some headway against internaational
counterparts in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science=
 Study
(TIMSS), which compares mathematics and science performance of fourth- and
eighth-grade students.

The study results, released today in Boston and Washington, D.C., showed=
 that
the United States continues to score above the international average among
TIMSS participants, but remains primarily in the middle of rankings among=20
those
nations that are most advanced or nations that have taken part in TIMSS
consistently since the study=E2=80=99s first assessment in 1995. Forty-six=
 nations
participated in the 2003 study.

The 2003 study, conducted by the International Association for the=
 Evaluation
of Educational Achievement (IEA) located at Boston College, and funded by=
 the
National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education=E2=80=99s=
 National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), compared fourth-grade students
internationally for the first time since 1995. Eighth-grade students also
participated in 1995 and 1999 studies.

Among U.S. eighth-grade students, 2003 scores in mathematics and science
continued to improve, although math scores rose less. The U.S. math and=20
science
improvements, combined with decreases in average scores for some other=
 nations
placed U.S. students in a higher relative standing among its peers than in
previous studies.

Fourth-grade, U.S. mathematics and science scores were virtually unchanged
between 1995 and 2003. And, improvements made by other nations during that
period actually lowered the relative ranking of U.S. students among=20
TIMSS=E2=80=99 previous
participants.

However, U.S. eighth-grade students made significant gains in mathematics
scores, with noticeably better performance in algebra. Black and Latino=20
students
in math and science at both fourth and eighth grades made even more=
 progress.
"We're pleased to note the improvements by minority students," said Arden L.
Bement, Jr., NSF director. "Having access to quality teaching and=
 challenging
material in math and science can only help these students later use their
acquired skills to fill opportunities in the workplace where they are most=
=20
needed
for the benefit of the nation.

"Previous TIMSS studies showing declining mathematics performance in middle
schools seems to have engendered a response by U.S. school systems, because=
 we
now rank among the top three countries in the amount of time devoted to
teaching algebra in eighth grade," Bement said. "It indicates that when=20
concentrated
attention is brought to bear on a national education problem, our school
systems have the capacity to take action and get positive results."
TIMSS is considered a good tool for assessing achievement over time because
it looks closely at the curricula of the participating nations, and all
countries are required to draw random samples representing students and=20
schools to
participate in the study, say NSF program officials.

Some of the key findings of the 2003 TIMSS report for U.S. students in
mathematics were:
The United States maintained the same math score level among fourth-grade
students as in 1995, which was above the international average but still in=
=20
the
middle of the group of nations that also participated in the 1995 TIMSS.

The increased score in mathematics by U.S. eighth-grade students was greater
from 1995 to 1999 than it was from 1999 to 2003, although during the 2003
TIMSS, eighth-graders showed significant improvement in performing=20
algebra-related
items.

Eighth-grade black and Latino students continued to improve their scores in
mathematics between 1995 and 2003, with blacks having the most significant
increase between 1995 and 1999. Latinos continued a steadier climb=20
throughout the
eight-year period.

Some of the key findings for TIMSS 2003 in science included:

U.S. fourth-grade students were still scoring much higher than the
international average in science, and remained fifth among 15 countries that
participated in both 1995 and 2003. Among U.S. students, blacks showed the=
=20
most
improvement.

Eighth-grade U.S. science students not only continued to raise their overall
science scores, but raised their standing among the 21 countries that
participated in TIMSS in both 1995 and 2003. U.S. scoring gains from 1999=20
to 2003 were
especially strong.

Both eighth-grade black and Latino students increased their science scores
significantly in 2003, continuing steady improvement that was also noted=
 from
1995 to 1999. Boys and girls overall also showed modest gains between 1999=
 and
2003.

U.S. students continue to score higher in life, earth and environmental
sciences than in physics and chemistry.

"We should be concerned about U.S. performance in chemistry and physics,
which are critical parts of basic science," said Don Thompson, NSF=E2=80=99s=
 deputy
assistant director for education and human resources. "But overall, TIMSS=20
bodes well
for our education system. It shows we can achieve great things when we place
emphasis on and dedication to specific areas of learning. When we cast the=
 net
wider to include underrepresented minority students and others with less
opportunity, we find their capacity and motivation to learn, achieve and
contribute to society is strong."

###

NSF-PR 04-157

Program contact:  Larry Suter, NSF, (703) 292-5144, mailto:wnoxon@xxxxxxx
For more information, see: http://nces.ed.gov/timss

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