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Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Minorities
NCES 2010-015
July 2010

Indicator 12. International Comparisons

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) began in 1995 and has been administered four times since by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). In 2007, thirty-six jurisdictions participated at the 4th-grade level and 48 participated at the 8th-grade level. These assessments measure how well students have acquired knowledge and skills taught in school, as they are designed to align with the curricula of participating jurisdictions. 

This indicator compares the 2007 average mathematics and science scores of 4th- and 8th-grade students in the United States with the overall TIMSS average and the scores of the other participating jurisdictions. In all grades and subjects, the U.S. average score exceeded the TIMSS average of 500.

At the 4th-grade level in mathematics, the U.S. average score was 529. Of U.S. students, Asian students scored the highest at 582, compared with White students who scored 550, students of two or more races who scored 534, Hispanic students who scored 504, and Black students who scored 482, on average.

At the 8th-grade level in mathematics, the U.S. average score was 508, with scores ranging from 457 for Black students to 549 for Asian students. Asian and White students scored higher than the TIMSS average of 500, while Black and Hispanic students scored lower. The average score for students of two or more races (506) was not measurably different than the TIMSS average.

The U.S. average score on the 4th-grade science assessment was 539, with Asian students scoring 573, White students scoring 567, students of two or more races scoring 550, Hispanic students scoring 502, and Black students scoring 488.

The U.S. average score in 8th-grade science was 520; scores ranged from 455 for Black students to 551 for White students. White students, Asian students, and students of two or more races scored higher than the TIMSS average, while Black and Hispanic students scored lower. 

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