Highlights from PIRLS and TIMSS 2011 Jack Buckley National
Center for Education Statistics Washington, DC December 11,
2012
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Overview What are PIRLS and TIMSS and which education systems
participate in them? How are U.S. students performing compared to
their international peers in: 4th-grade reading? 4th- and 8th-grade
mathematics? 4th- and 8th-grade science? How are students
performing in participating U.S. states? 2
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What are? 3 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study
(PIRLS) 4th-grade reading assessment * In 1999, no grade 4
assessment. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
(TIMSS) 4th- and 8th-grade mathematics and science assessment
Developed by the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at
Boston College, under contract to the International Association for
the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)
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4 26 education systems 2011 32 education systems 53 education
systems
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5 44 education systems 37 education systems 47 education
systems57 education systems 74 education systems 2011
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Participating states 6 9 states participated as separate
entities to obtain scores in PIRLS or TIMSS or both Each
participated as part of the nation and on its own NCES funded
participation at grade 8 of all states except Florida as part of a
study to statistically link NAEP (National Assessment of
Educational Progress) and TIMSS (Florida received other Education
Department funding) PIRLSTIMSS grade 4TIMSS grade 8 Florida North
Carolina Florida North Carolina Alabama California Colorado
Connecticut Indiana Massachusetts Minnesota
PIRLS Definition The ability to understand and use those
written language forms required by society and/or valued by the
individual. Young readers can construct meaning from a variety of
texts. They read to learn, to participate in communities of readers
in school and everyday life, and for enjoyment. Content Literary
and informational texts Cognitive dimensions Focus on and retrieve
Make straightforward inferences Interpret and integrate Examine and
evaluate 10 PIRLS 2011 framework
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What is on the PIRLS assessment? 11 Percentage of 4th-graders
answering correctly: U.S.: 90% Intl Avg.: 89%
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What is on the PIRLS assessment? 12 Percentage of 4th-graders
answering correctly: U.S.: 42% Intl Avg.: 29%
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13 U.S. average score (556) higher than the PIRLS scale average
(500) Higher than U.S. Not measurably different than U.S. Lower
than U.S.
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14 U.S. average score (556) lower than in 5 education systems
Higher than U.S. Not measurably different than U.S. Lower than
U.S.
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15 U.S. average (556) not measurably different than in 7
education systems Higher than U.S. Not measurably different than
U.S. Lower than U.S.
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16 U.S. average score (556) higher than in 40 education systems
Higher than U.S. Not measurably different than U.S. Lower than
U.S.