How do U.S. 8th graders compare with students in other countries in math and science?
- Notes:
- TIMSS = Trends in International Mathematics and Sciences Study. The TIMSS tests focus on students’ application of skills and knowledge to tasks akin to those encountered in school.
- The chart shows the scores for top 30 countries/jurisdictions. Scores for the remaining 12 countries/jurisdictions participating in the study are presented in the data table.
- Notes:
- TIMSS = Trends in International Mathematics and Sciences Study. The TIMSS tests focus on students’ application of skills and knowledge to tasks akin to those encountered in school.
- The chart shows the scores for the top 30 countries/jurisdictions. Scores for the remaining 12 countries/jurisdictions participating in the study are presented in the data table.
The U.S. average score (509) on the 2011 TIMSS math assessment at grade 8 was higher than the international TIMSS average (500).
The U.S. average score (525) on the 2011 TIMSS science assessment at grade 8 was higher than the international TIMSS average (500).
Key Observations
- At grade 8, the U.S. average score on the TIMSS math assessment was below the scores of 6 countries/jurisdictions, not different from the scores of 7, and higher than those of 28.
- The average scores of students in the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taipei (the top three) were at least 100 points higher than the average score of U.S. 8th grade students.
- At grade 8, the U.S. average science score of 525 was lower than those of 8 countries/jurisdictions, higher than those of 29, and not measurably different from those of the remaining 4.
Explore this topic in the Science and Engineering Indicators Report:
Explore this topic in the Science and Engineering Indicators Report:
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