Examines correlation between national test scores in mathematics from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Current Competitiveness Index (CCI). Finds, for example, that while the United States ranks 29th in TIMSS mathematics, it ranks second in competitiveness on the CCI. Korea ranks 3rd in mathematics, but 27th in…

Discusses results of International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement's recent Progress in Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), an international comparison of 35 countries wherein American students finished ninth. The web address for the PIRLS reports is www.pirls.org. (PKP)

Advises readers to exercise caution when interpreting the results of so-called"classic studies," such as Hawthorne study; discusses results of study by Jaekyung Lee published in the January/February 2002 issue of "Educational Researcher" that found the achievement gap between white students and black and Hispanic students…

Discusses research by Marsha Buly and Sheila Valencia in the Fall 2002 issue of "Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis" on the success of Washington State's legislation mandating phonics-based reading instruction. Discusses contribution of music education to Finnish students' high scores in the Program of International Student…

Discusses results of latest Program of International Student Assessment developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that tested 15-year-olds in 32 countries in reading, mathematics, and science. Focuses on reaction to below-average results in Germany. (PKP)

A study finds that American students are engaged with lessons only 54 percent of the time, due to external preoccupations and uninspired instruction. The Heritage Foundation's "No Excuses" report makes misleading correlations between scores, phonics, and socioeconomic variables. Florida housing prices reflect letter grades assigned to…

Reporting how many people scored at a certain level or how many people passed a cut score is not the same thing as reporting the scores themselves. The newest (indefensible) cliche, derived from international test-score comparisons, says American kids get dumber the longer they stay in school. (MLH)

Presents tables showing that the variability among states for results of the 1992 International Assessment of Educational Progress and National Assessment of Educational Progress is as great as that among countries. Also, Asian-American students score higher than any other students in the world. First- and second-ranked states are listed for math…

This book takes readers through the often confusing landscape of standardized testing and explains what tests are and what they are not. The book discusses how to interpret test scores, different types of standardized tests, and specific standardized tests. This revised edition also contains discussions of the Third International Mathematics and…

Examines recent standardized test scores, international comparisons, National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, and dropout statistics to prove that U.S. schools are making progress. When appropriate comparisons are made, only a small decline in SAT verbal scores is found and no decline in math scores. Greater priority should be given the…

International comparisons of academic achievement are faulted by methodological problems. U.S. schools are doing better in international comparisons than we have been led to believe. However, there are shortcomings. An education reform agenda needs to treat poor urban and rural schools as patients in an intensive-care ward. (MLF)

American public education has gradually evolved from a focus on the "disciplined mind" attainable by only a few to a focus on observable outcomes, purportedly attainable by all. This book offers a historical study of assessment, standards, outcomes, and criticism in U.S. public schools. Chapter 1 provides a selective history of education, focusing…

Singapore students scored highest on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Any nation that "outsources" its poverty (Malaysian street sweepers) and its low-achievers (who study in Malaysia) can get high test scores. U.S./Japan score differences stem from Japan's effective teaching practices. Among 13 occupations in the…

According to 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress science results, there is no difference between private and public school performance by the time one reaches the 75th percentile of grade 12. Recent SAT scores for the top 20% of students indicate teachers are not inflating grades. The National Center for Fair and Open Testing…

Debunks some goofy ideas--notions that schools control our economic destiny, money matters not in education, and American students' performance is uniformly dismal on international standardized tests. The United States offers more educational opportunities than other nations. Detractors and advocates of public education are given Rotten or Golden…