Mathematics Literacy: Proficiency Levels

High and Low Performers

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Figure M1a. Percentage of 15-year-old students performing at PISA mathematics literacy proficiency levels 5 and above and below level 2, by education system: 2012

data in this figure can be found in the table below

# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable due to high coefficient of variation.
� Reporting standards not met.
* p<.05. Significantly different from the U.S. percentage at the .05 level of statistical significance.
NOTE: Education systems are ordered by 2012 percentages of 15-year-olds in levels 5 and above. To reach a particular proficiency level, a student must correctly answer a majority of items at that level. Students were classified into mathematics proficiency levels according to their scores. Exact cut scores are as follows: below level 1 (a score less than or equal to 357.77); level 1 (a score greater than 357.77 and less than or equal to 420.07); level 2 (a score greater than 420.07 and less than or equal to 482.38); level 3 (a score greater than 482.38 and less than or equal to 544.68); level 4 (a score greater than 544.68 and less than or equal to 606.99); level 5 (a score greater than 606.99 and less than or equal to 669.30); and level 6 (a score greater than 669.30). Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. The OECD average is the average of the national percentages of the OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Results for Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts are for public school students only. This figure corresponds to figure 1 in Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Mathematics, Science, and Reading Literacy in an International Context (NCES 2014-024).
SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2012.


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Table M1b. Percentage of 15-year-old students performing at PISA mathematics literacy proficiency levels 5 and above and below level 2, by education system: 2012
Education system Below level 2   Levels 5 and above   Education system Below level 2   Levels 5 and above
Percent   s.e.   Percent   s.e.   Percent   s.e.   Percent   s.e.
OECD average 23.0 * 0.19   12.6 * 0.15                  
Shanghai-China 3.8 * 0.55   55.4 * 1.37   Sweden 27.1   1.12   8.0   0.52
Singapore 8.3 * 0.48   40.0 * 0.71   Spain 23.6   0.85   8.0   0.43
Chinese Taipei 12.8 * 0.84   37.2 * 1.24   Latvia 19.9 * 1.13   8.0   0.78
Hong Kong-China 8.5 * 0.79   33.7 * 1.35   Russian Federation 24.0   1.13   7.8   0.85
Korea, Republic of 9.1 * 0.95   30.9 * 1.83   Croatia 29.9 * 1.36   7.0   1.15
Liechtenstein 14.1 * 2.02   24.8 * 2.55   Turkey 42.0 * 1.93   5.9 * 1.13
Macao-China 10.8 * 0.49   24.3 * 0.56   Serbia, Republic of 38.9 * 1.54   4.6 * 0.71
Japan 11.1 * 0.98   23.7 * 1.46   Bulgaria 43.8 * 1.78   4.1 * 0.62
Switzerland 12.4 * 0.70   21.4 * 1.19   Greece 35.7 * 1.34   3.9 * 0.43
Belgium 19.0 * 0.82   19.5 * 0.76   Cyprus 42.0 * 0.63   3.7 * 0.27
Netherlands 14.8 * 1.28   19.3 * 1.21   United Arab Emirates 46.3 * 1.22   3.5 * 0.29
Germany 17.7 * 1.03   17.5 * 0.94   Romania 40.8 * 1.93   3.2 * 0.61
Poland 14.4 * 0.89   16.7 * 1.33   Thailand 49.7 * 1.74   2.6 * 0.51
Canada 13.8 * 0.55   16.4 * 0.64   Qatar 69.6 * 0.46   2.0 * 0.21
Finland 12.3 * 0.67   15.3 * 0.74   Chile 51.5 * 1.67   1.6 * 0.22
New Zealand 22.6 * 0.80   15.0 * 0.88   Uruguay 55.8 * 1.31   1.4 * 0.32
Australia 19.7 * 0.60   14.8 * 0.64   Malaysia 51.8 * 1.68   1.3 * 0.30
Estonia 10.5 * 0.63   14.6 * 0.76   Montenegro, Republic of 56.6 * 1.02   1.0 * 0.20
Austria 18.7 * 0.96   14.3 * 0.95   Kazakhstan 45.2 * 1.70   0.9 !* 0.29
Slovenia 20.1 * 0.65   13.7 * 0.55   Albania 60.7 * 0.95   0.8 * 0.19
Vietnam 14.2 * 1.75   13.3 * 1.47   Tunisia 67.7 * 1.83   0.8 !* 0.37
France 22.4 * 0.87   12.9 * 0.77   Brazil 67.1 * 1.03   0.8 * 0.20
Czech Republic 21.0 * 1.20   12.9 * 0.82   Mexico 54.7 * 0.82   0.6 * 0.08
United Kingdom 21.8 * 1.30   11.8 * 0.81   Peru 74.6 * 1.75   0.6 !* 0.21
Luxembourg 24.3   0.54   11.2 * 0.42   Costa Rica 59.9 * 1.87   0.6 * 0.19
Iceland 21.5 * 0.74   11.2 * 0.69   Jordan 68.6 * 1.50    
Slovak Republic 27.5   1.28   11.0   0.94   Colombia 73.8 * 1.43   0.3 !* 0.11
Ireland 16.9 * 0.99   10.7 * 0.54   Indonesia 75.7 * 2.05    
Portugal 24.9   1.52   10.6   0.79   Argentina 66.5 * 2.03   0.3 !* 0.10
Denmark 16.8 * 0.98   10.0   0.66                  
Italy 24.7   0.76   9.9   0.57                  
Norway 22.3 * 1.06   9.4   0.67   U.S. state education systems              
Israel 33.5 * 1.68   9.4   0.99                
Hungary 28.1   1.31   9.3   1.12   Massachusetts 17.8 * 1.46   18.5 * 2.47
United States 25.8   1.39   8.8   0.78   Connecticut 20.6 * 2.14   16.4 * 1.91
Lithuania 26.0   1.18   8.1   0.60   Florida 30.4   2.65   5.8 * 1.18
† Not applicable.
# Rounds to zero.
! Interpret data with caution. Estimate is unstable due to high coefficient of variation.
‡ Reporting standards not met.
* p<.05. Significantly different from the U.S. percentage at the .05 level of statistical significance.
NOTE: Education systems are ordered by 2012 percentages of 15-year-olds in levels 5 and above. To reach a particular proficiency level, a student must correctly answer a majority of items at that level. Students were classified into mathematics proficiency levels according to their scores. Exact cut scores are as follows: below level 1 (a score less than or equal to 357.77); level 1 (a score greater than 357.77 and less than or equal to 420.07); level 2 (a score greater than 420.07 and less than or equal to 482.38); level 3 (a score greater than 482.38 and less than or equal to 544.68); level 4 (a score greater than 544.68 and less than or equal to 606.99); level 5 (a score greater than 606.99 and less than or equal to 669.30); and level 6 (a score greater than 669.30). Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 1,000. The OECD average is the average of the national percentages of the OECD member countries, with each country weighted equally. Standard error is noted by s.e. Italics indicate non-OECD countries and education systems. Results for Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts are for public school students only. This table corresponds to figure 1 in Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Mathematics, Science, and Reading Literacy in an International Context (NCES 2014-024).
SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2012.