The American Institutes of Research released an interesting study linking the results of the 1999 and 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS, to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP. The author, Gary Phillips, found that a majority of nations, including the U.S., falls into NAEP’s “basic” classification for performance.
On the 1999 TIMSS math assessment, 8th grade students in six nations (Singapore, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, and Belgium) earned the equivalent of a “proficient” rating on the NAEP. The United States ranked 19th in mean score on the TIMSS, which landed the U.S. in the middle of the “basic” pack.
On the 2003 TIMSS math assessment, scores for 8th grade students in Belgium dropped from “proficient” to “basic,” and the U.S. climbed to 15th in mean score, still in the “basic” range but slightly higher in the group.
When comparing per pupil expenditures to performance, the U.S. should be embarrassed. According to the OECD’s 2006 Education at a Glance, the U.S is near the top of the ranking in per student expenditures, averaging around $8,300 per student for primary education. Korea ($4,100) is lower than the OECD average of $5,450, while Japan ($6,350) and Belgium ($6,200) are above the average.
