Fourth Grade:

• The United States is one of four countries in which fourth-grade boys turned in a lower average science performance in 2003 than in 1995 (figure 3 and table C17 in appendix C). U.S. fourth-grade girls showed no measurable change in their average science performance. Fourth-grade girls in three countries showed a decline in their average science performance.

• As a result of the lower performance of U.S. boys in science, the gap in the average science achievement of U.S. fourth-grade boys and girls narrowed between 1995 and 2003, from 12 points in 1995 to 5 points in 2003 (figure 3).² Nonetheless, on average, U.S. boys outperformed girls in science in 2003, which was the case in 1995 as well.³

• As observed for mathematics, Black fourth-grade students in the United States showed improvement in their average science performance, scoring 487 in 2003 compared to 462 in 1995 (figure 3 and table C18 in appendix C).

• White fourth-grade students in the United States demonstrated a decline in average science performance during the same period (figure 3). U.S. White fourth-grade students scored 572, on average, in science in 1995, declining to an average of 565 in 2003. No measurable change was detected in the average science performance of U.S. Hispanic fourth-graders.

• As a result of significant changes in the average science scores of White and Black fourth-grade students, the average achievement gap between White and Black fourth-grade students narrowed from 110 score points in 1995 to 78 score points in 2003 (figure 3). Moreover, the gap in science achievement between Black and Hispanic fourth-graders also narrowed, from 41 score points in 1995 to 12 score points in 2003. There was no measurable difference in the score gap between White and Hispanic fourth-grade students over the same period of time.⁴

• In 2003, U.S. fourth-graders in U.S. public schools with the highest poverty level (75 percent or more of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) had lower average science scores compared to their counterparts in public schools with lower levels (figure 3). Fourth-graders in public schools with the lowest poverty level (10 percent or less eligible students) had higher average science scores than students in schools with poverty levels of 25 percent or more. The difference in the average science scores of students in schools with the lowest and highest poverty levels was 99 score points in 2003.⁵

• In 2003, both U.S. eighth-grade boys and girls showed improvement in their average science performance compared to 1995 (figure 4 and table C19 in appendix C).⁶ In 2003, U.S. eighth-grade boys scored 536 in science, on average. This was 16 score points higher than in 1995, when U.S. boys scored 520, on average. U.S. girls scored 519 in science, on average, in 2003. This was 14 score points higher than in 1995 and 1999, when U.S. girls scored 505, on average.

• In 2003, U.S. eighth-grade boys outperformed girls in science, on average, which was also the case in 1999 and 1995 (figure 5).

• Both Black and Hispanic eighth-grade students in the United States demonstrated improvement in their average science achievement between 1995 and 2003, and between 1999 and 2003 (figure 4 and table C20 in appendix C). In 1995, U.S. Black eighth-grade students scored 422 in science, on average. This improved to an average of 463 in 2003. U.S. Hispanic eighth-grade students scored 446 in science in 1995, on average, improving to an average score of 482 in 2003.

• As a result of improvements in the average science achievement of Black and Hispanic eighth-graders, the achievement gap between White and Black eighth-graders narrowed from 122 score points in 1995 to 89 score points in 2003, and the achievement gap between White and Hispanic eighth-grade students narrowed from 98 points in 1995 to 70 points in 2003 (figure 4).⁷

• In 2003, U.S. eighth-graders in U.S. public schools with the highest poverty level (75 percent or more of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) had lower average science scores compared to their counterparts in public schools with lower poverty levels (figure 4). In contrast, students in schools with the lowest poverty level (10 percent or less eligible students) had higher average science scores than students in schools with poverty levels of 25 percent or more eligible. The difference in the average science scores of students in schools with the lowest and highest poverty levels was 110 score points in 2003.⁸

• With a single exception, U.S. eighth-graders who attended schools with varying percentages of students eligible to participate in the federal free/reduced lunch program showed no measurable change in their science achievement between 1999 and 2003, the two years for which data are available (figure 4 and table C20 in appendix C). U.S. eighth-graders who attended schools in which 50 to almost 75 percent of students were eligible for free/reduced lunch did, however, improve their science performance between 1999 and 2003.