APPENDIX 4: SUMMARY OF NATIONAL DEVIATIONS FROM INTERNATIONAL STUDY GUIDELINES

---

Eleven of the 26 TIMSS countries experienced a more or less serious deviation from international guidelines for execution of the study. In 9 countries, the TIMSS International Study Center considered the deviations to be sufficiently serious to raise questions about the confidence to be placed in their scores. These 9 nations with major difficulties are noted with an asterisk.

*Australia--Participation rate did not meet the international criterion of 75 percent of schools and students combined. Participation rate was 69 percent after replacements for refusals were substituted.

*Austria--Participation rate did not meet either the international criterion of at least 50 percent participation by schools before replacement or 75 percent of schools and students combined. The initial participation rate was 49 percent for schools before replacement. Participation rate was 69 percent after replacements for refusals were substituted.

England--More than the international criterion of 10 percent of schools and students were excused from the test for various reasons, with resulting coverage of 88 percent of the desired population. Participation rate of 83 percent of schools and students combined was achieved only after replacements for refusals were substituted.

*Hungary--International guidelines for sampling procedures at the classroom level were not followed.

*Israel--International guidelines for sampling procedures at the classroom level were not followed. Test administered only in the Hebrew-speaking public school system, and participation rate did not meet either the international criterion of at least 50 percent participation by schools before replacement or 75 percent of schools and students combined. Israel tested only the fourth grade, in contrast to other nations that tested the two adjacent grades containing the most 9-year olds. Participation rate was 38 percent both before and after replacements for refusals were substituted.

*Kuwait--International guidelines for sampling procedures at the classroom level were not followed. In contrast to other nations that tested two adjacent grades, Kuwait tested the fifth grade, which contained relatively few 9-year olds.

*Latvia (LSS)--Test administered only in Latvian-speaking schools, with resulting coverage of 60 percent of the desired population. Because coverage fell below the international 65 percent population-coverage criterion, Latvia is designated (LSS) for Latvian-speaking schools.

*Netherlands--Participation rate did not meet either the international criterion of at least 50 percent participation by schools before replacement or 75 percent of schools and students combined. The initial participation rate before replacement was 29 percent. Participation rate was 59 percent after replacements for refusals were substituted.

Scotland--Participation rate of 76 percent of schools and students combined was achieved only after replacements for refusals were substituted.

*Slovenia--Students tested were older than those in other countries because Slovenia did not test the two grades with the most 9-year olds.

*Thailand--International guidelines for sampling procedures at the classroom level were not followed. The sample included a high percentage of older students.

TIMSS HOME