Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study

The IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a series of international assessments of the mathematics and science knowledge of students around the world. The participating students come from a diverse set of educational systems (countries or regional jurisdictions of countries) in terms of economic development, geographical location, and population size. In each of the participating educational systems, a minimum of 4,000 to 5,000 students is evaluated. Contextual data about the conditions in which participating students learn mathematics and science are collected from the students and their teachers, their principals, and their parents via questionnaires.[1]

TIMSS 8th grade average Mathematics scores (2019)
TIMSS 8th grade average Science scores (2019)
TIMSS 4th grade average Mathematics scores (2019)
TIMSS 4th grade average Science scores (2019)

TIMSS is one of the studies established by IEA aimed at allowing educational systems worldwide to compare students' educational achievement and learn from the experiences of others in designing effective education policy. This assessment was first conducted in 1995, and has been administered every four years thereafter. Therefore, some of the participating educational systems have trend data across assessments from 1995 to 2019.[2] TIMSS assesses 4th and 8th grade students, while TIMSS Advanced assesses students in the final year of secondary school in advanced mathematics and physics.

Definition of Terms

"Eighth grade" in the United States is approximately 13–14 years of age and equivalent to:

  • 3rd Form in England, Northern Ireland and Wales
  • 2nd Year in the Republic of Ireland
  • 2nd Year in Scotland
  • 1st Year in South Africa
  • Form 2 in Hong Kong
  • Third Year in France
  • Year 9 in New Zealand
  • Form 2 in Malaysia

"Fourth grade" in the United States is approximately equivalent to 9–10 years of age and equivalent to:

  • Primary 6 (P6) in the United Kingdom
  • Group 6 in the Netherlands
  • CM1 in France
  • Fourth Class in the Republic of Ireland
  • Standard 3 or Year 5 in New Zealand

History

A precursor to TIMSS was the First International Mathematics Study (FIMS) performed in 1964 in 11 countries for students aged 13 and in the final year of secondary education (FS) under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). This was followed in 1970-71 by the First International Science Study (FISS) for students aged 10, 14, and FS. Fourteen countries tested 10-year-olds; 16 countries tested the older two groups. These were replicated between 1980 and 1984.[3]

These early studies were revised and combined by the IEA to create TIMSS, which was first administered in 1995. It was the largest international student assessment study of its time and evaluated students in five grades. In the second cycle (1999) only eighth-grade students were tested. In the next cycles (2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015) both 4th and 8th grade students were assessed. The 2011 cycle was performed in the same year as the IEA's Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), offering a comprehensive assessment of mathematics, science and reading for the countries participating in both studies. The sixth cycle was conducted in 2015, and the results were released in 2016;[4] the data set was published in February 2017. TIMSS 2015 included data collected from parents for the first time.[5] TIMSS Advanced, previously conducted in 1995 and 2008, was also conducted in 2015, and assessed final-year secondary students' achievement in advanced mathematics and physics. Policy-relevant data about curriculum emphasis, technology use, and teacher preparation and training accompanies the TIMSS Advanced results.

The seventh cycle of TIMSS was conducted in 2019 and marked the beginning of the transition to a digital assessment format, with the digital assessment administered to half of participating countries, and the paper assessment administered to the remaining half. 64 countries and 8 benchmarking systems participating in TIMSS 2019. Results were released in December 2020. [6]

Preparations are underway for TIMSS 2023.

Method, data and documentation

Along with the overall students’ achievement data, TIMSS comprehensive assessments include data on student performance in various mathematics and science domains (algebra, geometry, biology, chemistry, etc.) and on performance in the problem solving challenges in each of these contexts. In addition, TIMSS provides contextual data on crucial curricular, instructional, and resource-related factors that can impact the teaching and learning process. These data are gathered using student, teacher, school, and curriculum (national) questionnaires filled out by students, teachers, school principals and National Research Coordinators, respectively.

According to the TIMSS 2019 Assessment Frameworks, “The TIMSS mathematics and science achievement scales were created with the first TIMSS assessment in 1995, separately for each subject and each grade. The scale units were established so that 100 points on the scale was equivalent to one standard deviation of the distribution of achievement across all of the countries that participated in TIMSS 1995, and the scale midpoint of 500 was located at the mean of this international achievement distribution. The TIMSS achievement scales were first used for reporting TIMSS results with TIMSS 1995, and all results from subsequent TIMSS assessments have been reported on the same scale metrics, making it possible to measure growth or decline in countries’ achievement distributions from assessment to assessment.”[7]

Because TIMSS is administered in four-year cycles, it enables participating counties to use the results between the fourth and eighth grades to track the changes in achievement and certain background factors from an earlier study. For example, results of the fourth grade in TIMSS 1995 can be compared with the results of the eighth grade in TIMSS 1999, as fourth graders had become eighth graders in the next cycle of study.[8]

The collected information is presented in different formats. For example, for TIMSS 2019 the results are presented as TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science. The TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia provides an overview of how mathematics and science are taught in each participating country. Methods and Procedures: TIMSS 2019 Technical Report documents the development of the TIMSS assessments and questionnaires, and describes the methods used. The TIMSS 2019 User Guide for the International Database describes the content and format of the data in the TIMSS 2019 International Database.

The IEA has developed an application for working with data from TIMSS and other IEA large-scale assessments called the "IEA International Database (IDB) Analyzer".. This application allows researchers to combine data files and facilitates some types of statistical analysis (such as computing means, percentages, percentiles, correlations, and estimating single level multiple linear regression). The application takes into account the complex sample structure of the databases when calculating the statistics and their standard errors. It also allows researchers to estimate achievement scores and their standard errors.

For an overview of the IEA study results and interpretation of information, the IEA's "Data Visualizer". can come in handy.

Cycles

TIMSS 2019

TIMSS 2019 was the seventh cycle of TIMSS and reported overall achievement as well as results according to international benchmarks, by major content domains (number, algebra, and geometry in mathematics, and earth science, biology, and chemistry in science) and by cognitive domains (knowing, applying, reasoning).[9] TIMSS 2019 collected detailed information about curriculum and curriculum implementation of participating countries and published this information the TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Mathematics and Science.[10]

TIMSS 2019 marked the transition to a digital assessment format, allowing for new and innovative item types. In the digital assessment, students solved problems by interacting with shapes and patterns, arranging items on the screen, dragging and dropping items, and drawing. The digital version of TIMSS 2019 also introduced Problem Solving and Inquiry tasks that simulated real-world and laboratory situations and called for students to integrate and apply process skills and content knowledge. Half of the participating countries took the paper version of TIMSS and half of the participating countries took the digital version of TIMSS.

TIMSS 2019 results are summarized in TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science.[6] This detailed report presents achievement and contextual data from participating countries and benchmarking entities. The TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Mathematics and Science describes various features of the education systems in each participating country, including the mathematics and science curriculum, professional development requirements for teachers, and methods of monitoring student progress in mathematics and science. Each country's "chapter" in the encyclopedia was authored by that country's TIMSS representative.[11]

TIMSS 2015

In TIMSS 2015,[12] nationally representative samples of students in 57 countries and 7 benchmarking entities participated in the fourth grade assessment, the eighth grade assessment, or both.[13]

TIMSS 2011

TIMSS 2011[14] had 52 participating educational systems for the fourth grade and 45 for the eighth grade.[5]

TIMSS 2007

In TIMSS 2007,[15] 43 educational systems participated in the fourth grade and 56 educational systems in the eighth grade.

Eighth grade
Mathematics[16]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Chinese Taipei 598 13 points
2  South Korea 597 8 points
3  Singapore 593 12 points
4  Hong Kong 572 14 points
5  Japan 570
6  Hungary 517 12 points
7  England 513 N/A
8  Russia 512 4 points
9  United States 508 4 points
10  Lithuania 506 4 points
11  Czech Republic 504 N/A
12  Slovenia 501 8 points
International average 500 33 points
13  Armenia 499 21 points
14  Australia 496 9 points
15  Sweden 491 8 points
16  Malta 488 N/A
17  Scotland 487 11 points
18  Serbia 486 9 points
19  Italy 480 4 points
20  Malaysia 474 34 points
21  Norway 469 8 points
22  Cyprus 465 6 points
23  Bulgaria 464 12 points
24  Israel 463 33 points
25  Ukraine 462 N/A
26  Romania 461 14 points
27  Bosnia and Herzegovina 456 N/A
28  Lebanon 449 16 points
29  Thailand 441 N/A
30  Turkey 432 N/A
31  Jordan 427 3 points
32  Tunisia 420 10 points
33  Georgia 410 N/A
34  Iran 403 8 points
35  Bahrain 398 3 points
36  Indonesia 397 14 points
37  Syria 395 N/A
38  Egypt 391 N/A
39  Algeria 387 N/A
40  Morocco 381 6 points
41  Colombia 380 N/A
42  Oman 372 N/A
43  Palestine 367 23 points
44  Botswana 364 2 points
45  Kuwait 354 N/A
46  El Salvador 340 N/A
47  Saudi Arabia 329 3 points
48  Ghana 309 33 points
49  Qatar 307 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Massachusetts (United States) 547 N/A
– Minnesota (United States) 532 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 528 15 points
– Ontario (Canada) 517 4 points
– British Columbia (Canada) 509 N/A
– Basque Country (Spain) 499 12 points
– Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 461 N/A
Science[17]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Singapore 567 11 points
2  Chinese Taipei 561 10 points
3  Japan 554 2 points
4  South Korea 553 5 points
5  England 542 N/A
6  Hungary 539 4 points
6  Czech Republic 539 N/A
8  Slovenia 538 18 points
9  Hong Kong 530 26 points
9  Russia 530 16 points
11  United States 520 7 points
12  Lithuania 519
13  Australia 515 12 points
14  Sweden 511 13 points
International average 500 26 points
15  Scotland 496 16 points
16  Italy 495 4 points
17  Armenia 488 27 points
18  Norway 487 7 points
19  Ukraine 485 N/A
20  Jordan 482 7 points
21  Malaysia 471 39 points
21  Thailand 471 N/A
23  Serbia 470 2 points
23  Bulgaria 470 9 points
25  Israel 468 20 points
26  Bahrain 467 29 points
27  Bosnia and Herzegovina 466 N/A
28  Romania 462 8 points
29  Iran 459 6 points
30  Malta 457 N/A
31  Turkey 454 N/A
32  Syria 452 N/A
32  Cyprus 452 11 points
34  Tunisia 445 41 points
35  Indonesia 427 7 points
36  Oman 423 N/A
37  Georgia 421 N/A
38  Kuwait 418 N/A
39  Colombia 417 N/A
40  Lebanon 414 21 points
41  Egypt 408 N/A
41  Algeria 408 N/A
43  Palestine 404 31 points
44  Saudi Arabia 403 5 points
45  Morocco 402 6 points
46  El Salvador 387 N/A
47  Botswana 355 10 points
48  Qatar 319 N/A
49  Ghana 303 48 points
Benchmarking participants
– Massachusetts (United States) 556 N/A
– Minnesota (United States) 539 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 526 5 points
– Ontario (Canada) 526 7 points
– British Columbia (Canada) 507 N/A
– Basque Country (Spain) 498 9 points
– Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 489 N/A

Fourth grade
Mathematics[16]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 8 years
1  Hong Kong 607 32 points
2  Singapore 599 5 points
3  Chinese Taipei 576 12 points
4  Japan 568 3 points
5  Kazakhstan 549 N/A
6  Russia 544 12 points
7  England 541 10 points
8  Latvia 537 1 point
9  Netherlands 535 5 points
10  Lithuania 530 4 points
11  United States 529 11 points
12  Germany 525 N/A
13  Denmark 523 N/A
14  Australia 516 17 points
15  Hungary 510 19 points
16  Italy 507 4 points
17  Austria 505 N/A
18  Sweden 503 N/A
19  Slovenia 502 23 points
International average 500 5 points
20  Armenia 500 44 points
21  Slovakia 496 N/A
22  Scotland 494 4 points
23  New Zealand 492 1 point
24  Czech Republic 486 N/A
25  Norway 473 22 points
26  Ukraine 469 N/A
27  Georgia 438 N/A
28  Iran 402 13 points
29  Algeria 378 N/A
30  Colombia 355 N/A
31  Morocco 341 6 points
32  El Salvador 330 N/A
33  Tunisia 327 12 points
34  Kuwait 316 N/A
35  Qatar 296 N/A
36  Yemen 224 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Massachusetts (United States) 572 N/A
– Minnesota (United States) 554 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 519 13 points
– Ontario (Canada) 512 1 point
– Alberta (Canada) 505 N/A
– British Columbia (Canada) 505 N/A
– Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 444 N/A
Science[17]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 8 years
1  Singapore 587 22 points
2  Chinese Taipei 557 6 points
3  Hong Kong 554 12 points
4  Japan 548 5 points
5  Russia 546 20 points
6  Latvia 542 10 points
6  England 542 2 points
8  United States 539 3 points
9  Hungary 536 6 points
10  Italy 535 19 points
11  Kazakhstan 533 N/A
12  Germany 528 N/A
13  Australia 527 6 points
14  Slovakia 526 N/A
14  Austria 526 N/A
16  Sweden 525 N/A
17  Netherlands 523 2 points
18  Slovenia 518 28 points
19  Denmark 517 N/A
20  Czech Republic 515 N/A
21  Lithuania 514 2 points
22  New Zealand 504 16 points
23  Scotland 500 2 points
International average 500 11 points
24  Armenia 484 47 points
25  Norway 477 11 points
26  Ukraine 474 N/A
27  Iran 436 22 points
28  Georgia 418 N/A
29  Colombia 400 N/A
30  El Salvador 390 N/A
31  Algeria 354 N/A
32  Kuwait 348 N/A
33  Tunisia 318 4 points
34  Morocco 297 7 points
35  Qatar 294 N/A
36  Yemen 197 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Massachusetts (United States) 571 N/A
– Minnesota (United States) 551 N/A
– Alberta (Canada) 543 N/A
– British Columbia (Canada) 537 N/A
– Ontario (Canada) 536 4 points
– Quebec (Canada) 517 17 points
– Dubai (United Arab Emirates) 460 N/A

TIMSS 2003

In TIMSS 2003,[18] there were 26 educational systems for the fourth grade and 48 for the eighth grade.[19]

Eighth grade
Mathematics[20]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Singapore 605 1 point
2  South Korea 589 2 points
3  Hong Kong 586 4 points
4  Chinese Taipei 585
5  Japan 570 9 points
6  Belgium (Flemish) 537 21 points
7  Netherlands 536 4 points
8  Estonia 531 N/A
9  Hungary 529 3 points
10  Malaysia 508 11 points
10  Latvia 508 N/A
10  Russia 508 18 points
10  Slovakia 508 26 points
14  Australia 505 20 points
15  United States 504 2 points
16  Lithuania 502 20 points
17  Sweden 499 N/A
18  Scotland 498 N/A
19  Israel 496 30 points
20  New Zealand 494 3 points
21  Slovenia 493 37 points
22  Italy 484 5 points
23  Armenia 478 N/A
24  Serbia 477 N/A
25  Bulgaria 476 35 points
26  Romania 475 3 points
International average 467 20 points
27  Norway 461 N/A
28  Moldova 460 9 points
29  Cyprus 459 17 points
30  Macedonia 435 12 points
31  Lebanon 433 N/A
32  Jordan 424 4 points
33  Iran 411 11 points
33  Indonesia 411 8 points
35  Tunisia 410 38 points
36  Egypt 406 N/A
37  Bahrain 401 N/A
38  Palestine 390 N/A
39  Chile 387 5 points
39  Morocco 387 50 points
41  Philippines 376 31 points
42  Botswana 366 N/A
43  Saudi Arabia 332 N/A
44  Ghana 276 N/A
45  South Africa 264 11 points
9th grade participants
–  England[lower-alpha 1] 498 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Quebec (Canada) 543 N/A
– Ontario (Canada) 521 N/A
– Indiana (United States) 508 N/A
– Basque Country (Spain) 487 N/A
Science[21]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Singapore 578 10 points
2  Chinese Taipei 571 2 points
3  South Korea 558 9 points
4  Hong Kong 556 26 points
5  Estonia 552 N/A
5  Japan 552 2 points
7  Hungary 543 9 points
8  Netherlands 536 9 points
9  United States 527 12 points
9  Australia 527 13 points
11  Sweden 524 N/A
12  Slovenia 520 13 points
12  New Zealand 520 10 points
14  Lithuania 519 31 points
15  Slovakia 517 18 points
16  Belgium (Flemish) 516 19 points
17  Russia 514 15 points
18  Latvia 512 N/A
18  Scotland 512 N/A
20  Malaysia 510 18 points
21  Norway 494 N/A
22  Italy 491 2 points
23  Israel 488 20 points
24  Bulgaria 479 39 points
25  Jordan 475 25 points
International average 474 14 points
26  Moldova 472 13 points
27  Romania 470 2 points
28  Serbia 468 N/A
29  Armenia 461 N/A
30  Iran 453 5 points
31  Macedonia 449 9 points
32  Cyprus 441 19 points
33  Bahrain 438 N/A
34  Palestine 435 N/A
35  Egypt 421 N/A
36  Indonesia 420 15 points
37  Chile 413 7 points
38  Tunisia 404 26 points
39  Saudi Arabia 398 N/A
40  Morocco 396 73 points
41  Lebanon 393 N/A
42  Philippines 377 32 points
43  Botswana 365 N/A
44  Ghana 255 N/A
45  South Africa 244 1 point
9th grade participants
–  England[lower-alpha 1] 544 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Ontario (Canada) 533 N/A
– Indiana (United States) 531 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 531 N/A
– Basque Country (Spain) 489 N/A
  1. 9th grade students

Fourth grade
Mathematics[20]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 8 years
1  Singapore 594 31 points
2  Hong Kong 575 12 points
3  Japan 565 32 points
4  Chinese Taipei 564 N/A
5  Belgium (Flemish) 551 N/A
6  Netherlands 540 37 points
7  Latvia 536 N/A
8  Lithuania 534 N/A
9  Russia 532 N/A
10  England 531 18 points
11  Hungary 529 19 points
12  United States 518 27 points
13  Cyprus 510 8 points
14  Moldova 504 N/A
15  Italy 503 N/A
16  Australia 499 47 points
International average 495 34 points
17  New Zealand 493 6 points
18  Scotland 490 30 points
19  Slovenia 479 73 points
20  Armenia 456 N/A
21  Norway 451 51 points
22  Iran 389 40 points
23  Philippines 358 N/A
24  Morocco 347 N/A
25  Tunisia 339 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Indiana (United States) 533 N/A
– Ontario (Canada) 511 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 506 N/A
Science[21]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 8 years
1  Singapore 565 18 points
2  Chinese Taipei 551 N/A
3  Japan 543 31 points
4  Hong Kong 542 9 points
5  England 540 11 points
6  United States 536 29 points
7  Latvia 532 N/A
8  Hungary 530 2 points
9  Russia 526 N/A
10  Netherlands 525 28 points
11  Australia 521 41 points
12  New Zealand 520 11 points
13  Belgium (Flemish) 518 N/A
14  Italy 516 N/A
15  Lithuania 512 N/A
16  Scotland 502 34 points
17  Moldova 496 N/A
18  Slovenia 490 56 points
International average 489 35 points
19  Cyprus 480 5 points
20  Norway 466 64 points
21  Armenia 437 N/A
22  Iran 414 2 points
23  Philippines 332 N/A
24  Tunisia 314 N/A
25  Morocco 304 N/A
Benchmarking participants
– Indiana (United States) 553 N/A
– Ontario (Canada) 540 N/A
– Quebec (Canada) 500 N/A

TIMSS 1999

In 1999,[22] TIMSS only focused on the eighth grade in 38 educational systems; there was no study done for the fourth grade in that year.[23]

Eighth grade
Mathematics[24]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Singapore 604 39 points
2  South Korea 587 20 points
3  Chinese Taipei 585 N/A
4  Hong Kong 582 6 points
5  Japan 579 26 points
6  Belgium (Flemish) 558 7 points
7  Netherlands 540 1 point
8  Slovakia 534 13 points
9  Hungary 532 5 points
10  Canada 531 4 points
11  Slovenia 530 11 points
12  Russia 526 9 points
13  Australia 525 5 points
14  Finland 520 N/A
14  Czech Republic 520 44 points
16  Malaysia 519 N/A
17  Bulgaria 511 29 points
18  Latvia (Latvian) 505 12 points
19  United States 502 2 points
20  England 496 10 points
21  New Zealand 491 17 points
International average 487 26 points
22  Lithuania 482 5 points
23  Italy 479 N/A
24  Cyprus 476 2 points
25  Romania 472 10 points
26  Moldova 469 N/A
27  Thailand 467 55 points
28  Israel 466 56 points
29  Tunisia 448 N/A
30  Macedonia 447 N/A
31  Turkey 429 N/A
32  Jordan 428 N/A
33  Iran 422 6 points
34  Indonesia 403 N/A
35  Chile 392 N/A
36  Philippines 345 N/A
37  Morocco 337 N/A
38  South Africa 275 79 points
Science[25]
Rank Country Average
scale score		 Change
over 4 years
1  Chinese Taipei 569 N/A
2  Singapore 568 39 points
3  Hungary 552 2 points
4  Japan 550 21 points
5  South Korea 549 16 points
6  Netherlands 545 15 points
7  Australia 540 5 points
8  Czech Republic 539 35 points
9  England 538 14 points
10  Finland 535 N/A
10  Slovakia 535 9 points
10  Belgium (Flemish) 535 15 points
13  Slovenia 533 27 points
13  Canada 533 2 points
15  Hong Kong 530 8 points
16  Russia 529 9 points
17  Bulgaria 518 47 points
18  United States 515 19 points
19  New Zealand 510 15 points
20  Latvia (Latvian) 503 18 points
21  Italy 493 N/A
22  Malaysia 492 N/A
23  Lithuania 488 12 points
International average 488 28 points
24  Thailand 482 43 points
25  Romania 472 14 points
26  Israel 468 56 points
27  Cyprus 460 3 points
28  Moldova 459 N/A
29  Macedonia 458 N/A
30  Jordan 450 N/A
31  Iran 448 22 points
32  Indonesia 435 N/A
33  Turkey 433 N/A
34  Tunisia 430 N/A
35  Chile 420 N/A
36  Philippines 345 N/A
37  Morocco 323 N/A
38  South Africa 243 83 points

TIMSS 1995

In TIMSS 1995,[26] there were 41 educational systems in five grades (third, fourth, seventh, eighth, and the final year of secondary school).[5]

Eighth grade
Mathematics[27]
Rank Country Average
scale score
1  Singapore 643
2  South Korea 607
3  Japan 605
4  Hong Kong 588
5  Belgium (Flemish) 565
6  Czech Republic 564
7  Slovakia 547
8   Switzerland 545
9  Netherlands 541
9  Slovenia 541
11  Bulgaria 540
12  Austria 539
13  France 538
14  Hungary 537
15  Russia 535
16  Australia 530
17  Ireland 527
17  Canada 527
19  Belgium (French) 526
20  Thailand 522
20  Israel 522
22  Sweden 519
International average 513
23  Germany 509
24  New Zealand 508
25  England 506
26  Norway 503
27  Denmark 502
28  United States 500
29  Scotland 498
30  Latvia (Latvian) 493
31  Spain 487
31  Iceland 487
33  Greece 484
34  Romania 482
35  Lithuania 477
36  Cyprus 474
37  Portugal 454
38  Iran 428
39  Kuwait 392
40  Colombia 385
41  South Africa 354
Science[28]
Rank Country Average
scale score
1  Singapore 607
2  Czech Republic 574
3  Japan 571
4  South Korea 565
4  Bulgaria 565
6  Netherlands 560
6  Slovenia 560
8  Austria 558
9  Hungary 554
10  England 552
11  Belgium (Flemish) 550
12  Australia 545
13  Slovakia 544
14  Russia 538
14  Ireland 538
16  Sweden 535
17  United States 534
18  Germany 531
18  Canada 531
20  Norway 527
21  New Zealand 525
21  Thailand 525
23  Israel 524
24  Hong Kong 522
24   Switzerland 522
26  Scotland 517
26  Spain 517
International average 516
28  France 498
29  Greece 497
30  Iceland 494
31  Romania 486
32  Latvia (Latvian) 485
33  Portugal 480
34  Denmark 478
35  Lithuania 476
36  Belgium (French) 471
37  Iran 470
38  Cyprus 463
39  Kuwait 430
40  Colombia 411
41  South Africa 326

Fourth grade
Mathematics[29]
Rank Country Average
scale score
1  Singapore 625
2  South Korea 611
3  Japan 597
4  Hong Kong 587
5  Netherlands 577
6  Czech Republic 567
7  Austria 559
8  Slovenia 552
9  Ireland 550
10  Hungary 548
11  Australia 546
12  United States 545
13  Canada 532
14  Israel 531
International average 529
15  Latvia (Latvian) 525
16  Scotland 520
17  England 513
18  Cyprus 502
18  Norway 502
20  New Zealand 499
21  Greece 492
22  Thailand 490
23  Portugal 475
24  Iceland 474
25  Iran 429
26  Kuwait 400
Science[30]
Rank Country Average
scale score
1  South Korea 597
2  Japan 574
3  United States 565
3  Austria 565
5  Australia 562
6  Netherlands 557
6  Czech Republic 557
8  England 551
9  Canada 549
10  Singapore 547
11  Slovenia 546
12  Ireland 539
13  Scotland 536
14  Hong Kong 533
15  Hungary 532
16  New Zealand 531
International average 524
17  Norway 530
18  Latvia (Latvian) 512
19  Israel 505
19  Iceland 505
21  Greece 497
22  Portugal 480
23  Cyprus 475
24  Thailand 473
25  Iran 416
26  Kuwait 401

Additional initiatives

The TIMSS 1999 Video Study[31] was a study of eighth-grade mathematics and science teaching in seven countries. The study involved videotaping and analyzing teaching practices in more than one thousand classrooms. In conjunction with the IEA, the study was conducted by the US National Center for Education Statistics, and the US Department of Education under a contract with LessonLab, Inc. of Los Angeles, California.

Cooperative partners

TIMSS depends on the collaboration of a large number of individuals and organizations around the world including the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College, IEA's offices in Amsterdam and Hamburg, Statistics Canada, and Educational Testing Service (ETS). In the United States, TIMSS is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics of the US Department of Education. Data for US students is further tracked for ethnic and racial groups. TIMSS is mainly funded by the participating countries. Also, the US National Center for Education Statistics of the US Department of Education and the World Bank provide major support funding for the assessments.[5]

All average country scores
  • TIMSS 1995: 4th grade ; 8th grade
  • TIMSS 1999: 8th grade
  • TIMSS 2003: 4th grade ; 8th grade
  • TIMSS 2007: 4th and 8th grades
  • TIMSS 2011: 4th grade ; 8th grade
  • TIMSS 2015: 4th and 8th grades
  • TIMSS 2019:

TIMSS and other international math and science studies

Hanushek and Woessmann[32] developed a methodology to rescale 14 different international comparisons of math and / or science achievement to make them comparable. This includes the FIMS, FISS, and PISA, mentioned above, with TIMSS.

This methodology is somewhat disputed amongst experts in quantitative methods used in educational and psychological measurement as it is basically only a linear scale transformation that cannot ensure or examine whether PISA and TIMSS scores are based on the same or at least comparable measurement constructs: The numerical values used to measure shoe size and intelligence can be transformed so that both have the same arithmetic mean and standard deviation, but they still represent two very different characteristics.

See also

Notes
  1. "About TIMSS 2019". TIMSS International Study Center. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  2. "TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center". Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  3. Hanushek and Woessmann (2015, Table 2.1, p. 18).
  4. "TIMSS 2015 and TIMSS Advanced 2015 International Results". TIMSS International Study Center. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  5. "TIMSS 2011 Participating Countries". Retrieved 21 Nov 2016.
  6. "TIMSS 2019 International Results in Mathematics and Science". Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. "TIMSS 2019 Assessment Frameworks". TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  8. "Pursuing Excellence: Comparisons of International Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement from a U.S. Perspective, 1995 and 1999" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education. December 2000. p. 2. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  9. "TIMSS 2019 Assessment Frameworks". www.timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  10. "TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Mathematics and Science". www.timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  11. "TIMSS 2019 Encyclopedia: Education Policy and Curriculum in Mathematics and Science". www.timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  12. "TIMSS 2015 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  13. "About TIMSS 2015 – TIMSS 2015 and TIMSS Advanced 2015 International Results". timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  14. "TIMSS 2011 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  15. "TIMSS 2007 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  16. "TIMSS 2007 Mathematics" (PDF).
  17. "TIMSS 2007 Science" (PDF).
  18. "TIMSS 2003 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  19. center, international study. "TIMSS 2003 Countries Participating". timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  20. "TIMSS 2003 Mathematics" (PDF).
  21. "TIMSS 2003 Science" (PDF).
  22. "TIMSS 1999 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  23. "TIMSS 1999 Participants". timssandpirls.bc.edu. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  24. "TIMSS 1999 Mathematics" (PDF).
  25. "TIMSS 1999 Science" (PDF).
  26. "TIMSS 1995 - IEA". www.iea.nl. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  27. "TIMSS 1995 Mathematics (8th grade)" (PDF).
  28. "TIMSS 1995 Science (8th grade)" (PDF).
  29. "TIMSS 1995 Mathematics (4th grade)" (PDF).
  30. "TIMSS 1995 Science (4th grade)" (PDF).
  31. http://www.timssvideo.com/
  32. Hanushek and Woessman (2015, esp. Table 2.1 and Appendix 2A, pp. 18, 29-37)

References
  • Hanushek, Eric A.; Woessmann, Ludger (2015), The knowledge capital of nations, CESifo, ISBN 978-0-262-02917-9.
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