Science Achievement of Fourth- and Eighth-Graders Between 1995 and 2007
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Comparisons of the science achievement of fourth-graders between 1995 and 2007 are made for the 16 countries that collected data in both years. Comparisons of the science achievement of eighth-graders between 1995 and 2007 are made for the 19 countries that collected data in both years.
- Neither U.S. fourth- and eighth-graders showed any detectable change in science achievement in 2007 compared to 1995.
- The average science achievement of U.S. fourth-graders in 2007 was 539 compared to the average score of 542 in 1995 (table 4).
- Fourth-graders in almost one-half of the countries (7 of 16) showed improvement in average science scores in 2007 compared to 1995, and almost one-third of the countries (5 of the 16) showed declines in average science scores.
- The average science achievement of U.S. eighth-graders in 2007 was 520 compared to the average score of 513 in 1995 (table 4).
- Eighth-graders in about one-quarter of the countries (5 of 19) showed improvement in average mathematics scores in 2007 compared to 1995. Three countries showed declines in average scores over the same time period.
- There was a lower percentage of U.S. fourth-graders performing at or above the advanced international benchmark in science in 2007 than in 1995 (15 v. 19 percent). At grade eight, there was a lower percentage of U.S. students performing at or above the advanced benchmark in science in 2007 than in 1999 (10 v. 12 percent), but not between 1995 and 2007.
Table
- Table 4 — Trends in average science scores of fourth- and eighth-grade students, by country: 1995 to 2007
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