This is one of two reports about the linking of NAEP results to TIMSS results for grade 8 mathematics and science. The first, Linking the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study for Eighth Grade: A Research Report, is a technical discussion of the statistical methods employed to link NAEP and TIMSS. It describes the types of linking approaches considered, the method used to develop the linking functions, the sources of variability that affect the variance of the linking functions, and the validation and results obtained for grade 8 mathematics and science. Readers interested in the statistical aspects of this research are referred to the technical report.
The results presented in this report are based on a link of NAEP to TIMSS, thereby providing predicted TIMSS results for given NAEP results. Since a major goal of the link is to enable comparisons between states and countries, links were estimated for those grades and subjects where there are both state NAEP data and international TIMSS data. The links are based on the data from the U.S. TIMSS national sample and from the NAEP national sample. Furthermore, the links are derived from public school data, since this is the population for which NAEP state-level results have been published. The actual TIMSS results of the participating nations include both private and public school data. The results in this report are for mathematics and science at grade 8. An additional link is being attempted for grade 4 mathematics but is still undergoing NCES review.
The quality of the link between NAEP and TIMSS was evaluated using data from the few states for which representative data were available from both assessments. Specifically, the predicted TIMSS performance, based on NAEP data, was compared with the actual TIMSS results for these states. In the 1995 administration of TIMSS, one state, Minnesota, elected to participate in the grade 8 TIMSS assessments of mathematics and science. The predicted results were quite close to the actual results for the grade 8 mathematics and science assessments. In addition, two states, Missouri and Oregon, participated in a special assessment of the TIMSS in their states in 1997. While the results of these assessments have not yet been publicly released, the predicted TIMSS results for these states were reasonably close to their actual TIMSS results.
This report, Linking the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Third International Mathematics and Science: Eighth Grade Results, presents the results of the linking project. Comparisons are given for grade 8 mathematics and science of the states and jurisdictions which participated in NAEP in 1996 with the nations that participated in TIMSS in 1995. In addition, for each state and jurisdiction, the estimated percentage of students reaching the TIMSS International Top Half and Top Ten Percent marker levels are given for grade 8 mathematics and science.
The reader should use caution when using the results presented in this report. The results presented here are adequate for approximate comparisons of the relative rankings of individual states versus other countries, but are not adequate for extensive analyses based on the estimated scores. The results presented in this report are not appropriate for comparing performance between states or between countries.