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Trends in Student Performance—Trends in U.S Performance

Mathematics Percentiles


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Figure T1a. Cut scores of U.S. 15-year-old students on PISA mathematics literacy scale at selected percentiles: 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012

data in this figure can be found in the table below

NOTE: This table shows the threshold (or cut) score for the following: (a) 10th percentile- the bottom 10 percent of students; (b) 25th percentile- the bottom 25 percent of students; (c) 50th percentile- the median (half the students scored below the cut score and half scored above it); (d) 75th percentile- the top 25 percent of students; (e) 90th percentile- the top 10 percent of students. The percentile ranges are specific to each education system's distribution of scores and to each assessment administration, enabling users to compare scores at the cut scores across education systems and over time. The PISA mathematics framework was revised in 2003. Because of changes in the framework, it is not possible to compare mathematics learning outcomes from PISA 2000 with those from PISA 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012. Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000.
SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012.


Table T1b. Cut scores of U.S. 15-year-old students on PISA mathematics literacy scale at selected percentiles: 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012
Selected percentiles 2003   2006   2009   2012
Cut score   s.e.   Cut score   s.e.   Cut score   s.e.   Cut score   s.e.
90th percentile 607   3.9   593   4.8   607   4.6   600   4.3
75th percentile 550   3.4   537   5.0   551   4.9   543   4.4
50th percentile 483   3.1   472   4.4   488   3.8   477   4.0
25th percentile 418   3.7   411   4.8   425   3.9   418   3.7
10th percentile 356   4.5   358   5.8   368   4.3   368   3.9
NOTE: This table shows the threshold (or cut) score for the following: (a) 10th percentile- the bottom 10 percent of students; (b) 25th percentile- the bottom 25 percent of students; (c) 50th percentile- the median (half the students scored below the cut score and half scored above it); (d) 75th percentile- the top 25 percent of students; (e) 90th percentile- the top 10 percent of students. The percentile ranges are specific to each education system's distribution of scores and to each assessment administration, enabling users to compare scores at the cut scores across education systems and over time. The PISA mathematics framework was revised in 2003. Because of changes in the framework, it is not possible to compare mathematics learning outcomes from PISA 2000 with those from PISA 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012. Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. Standard error is noted by s.e.
SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012.