Indicator 6. High-Performing 15-Year-Olds in Reading, Mathematics, and Science

In the United States , 10 percent of 15-year-old students scored above PISA proficiency level 4 in mathematics literacy , a lower percentage than in Japan (21 percent), Canada (18 percent), Germany (18 percent), and France (14 percent).

This indicator focuses on high-performing students in the G-8 countries in 2009. PISA reports the percentage of students in each country reaching several proficiency levels that describe the kinds of skills students demonstrated in the assessment. For each subject area, PISA describes six proficiency levels ranging from the most advanced at level 6 to the lowest at level 1. An additional category (below level 1) includes students whose skills are not developed sufficiently to be described by PISA. This indicator focuses on high-performing students in the G-8 countries in 2009 by showing the percentage of 15-year-olds who perform above PISA level 4 in each of the three subject areas. In mathematics literacy, for example, students at this high level of proficiency can use well-developed reasoning skills, insight, and interpretation with different representations; interpret complex information about real-world situations; work strategically; use complex and multistep problem-solving skills; and make assumptions or work with assumptions to solve problems (see OECD 2010c for a complete description of each PISA proficiency level in each subject area). As an additional way of presenting information about high-performing students, this indicator also shows the lowest scores of the top 10 percent of students in each G-8 country in each subject area.

On the PISA 2009 reading literacy scale, Japan and Canada had higher percentages of 15-year-old students scoring above level 4 than all other G-8 countries (figure 6-1). In the United States, 10 percent of 15-year-old students scored above level 4. This was a lower percentage than in Japan and Canada (both 13 percent); not measurably different than the percentages in France (10 percent) and the United Kingdom (8 percent); and a higher percentage than in Germany (8 percent), Italy (6 percent), and the Russian Federation (3 percent). A similar pattern was found with the lowest scores of the top 10 percent of students. Those scores were higher in Japan and Canada than in all other G-8 countries (figure 6-2). In the United States, the lowest score of the top 10 percent of students on the reading literacy scale was 625. This was a lower score than in Japan (639) and Canada (637); not measurably different than the scores in France (624), the United Kingdom (616), and Germany (615); and a higher score than in Italy (604) and the Russian Federation (572).

On the PISA 2009 mathematics literacy scale, Japan had a higher percentage of students scoring above level 4 than all other G-8 countries, except Canada (there was no measurable difference between Japan and Canada) (figure 6-1). In the United States, 10 percent of students scored above level 4. This was a lower percentage than in Japan (21 percent), Canada (18 percent), Germany (18 percent), and France (14 percent); not measurably different than the percentages in the United Kingdom (10 percent) and Italy (9 percent); and higher than the percentage in the Russian Federation (5 percent). A similar pattern was found with the lowest scores of the top 10 percent of students. That score was higher in Japan than in all other G-8 countries, except Germany (the scores for Japan and Germany were not measurably different) (figure 6-2). In the United States, the lowest score of the top 10 percent of students on the mathematics literacy scale was 607. This was a lower score than in Japan (648), Germany (638), Canada (638), and France (622); not measurably different than the scores in the United Kingdom (606) and Italy (602); and a higher score than in the Russian Federation (576).

On the PISA 2009 science literacy scale, Japan had a higher percentage of students scoring above level 4 than all other G-8 countries (figure 6-1). In the United States, 9 percent of students scored above level 4. This was a lower percentage than in Japan (17 percent), Germany (13 percent), and Canada (12 percent); not measurably different than the percentages in the United Kingdom (11 percent) and France (8 percent); and a higher percentage than in Italy (6 percent) and the Russian Federation (4 percent). The same pattern was found with the lowest scores of the top 10 percent of students. That score was higher in Japan than in all other G-8 countries (figure 6-2). In the United States, the lowest score of the top 10 percent of students on the science literacy scale was 629. This was a lower score than in Japan (659), Germany (645), and Canada (642); not measurably different than the scores in the United Kingdom (640) and France (624); and a higher score than in Italy (609) and the Russian Federation (594).

Definitions and Methodology

In PISA 2009, reading literacy was the subject area assessed in depth; a smaller portion of the assessment was devoted to mathematics than in PISA 2003, when mathematics was the major subject area, and a smaller portion of the assessment was devoted to science than in PISA 2006, when science was the major subject area. For information about how reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy are defined in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), see the Definitions and Methodology section of indicator 8.

In PISA 2009, scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. In reading literacy, the average score across OECD countries is 493 with a standard deviation of 93. In mathematics literacy, the aver- age score across OECD countries is 496 with a standard deviation of 92. In science literacy, the average score across OECD countries is 501 with a standard deviation of 94.

Proficiency in reading, mathematics, and science literacy in PISA was defined in terms of levels based on student performance scores on each scale. Proficiency above level 4 (i.e., at level 5 or 6) is defined by scoring 625.61 and above in reading, 606.99 and above in mathematics, and 633.33 and above in science. See OECD 2010c for a complete description of each PISA proficiency level in each subject area.

In PISA, "15-year-olds" refers to students who are between 15 years and 3 months old and 16 years and 2 months old at the time of the assessment and who have completed at least 6 years of formal schooling.

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