What the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Means for211 Systemic School Improvement. Perspectives on Education Policy Research

摘要

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the most extensive211u001einternational educational comparison ever done, contains a wealth of information 211u001eabout how U.S. students perform in these two critical areas and how various 211u001easpects of our educational system affect their performance. Whether the messages 211u001efrom TIMSS spur genuine education reform will depend in large part on the actions 211u001eof policymakers and educators at the local, state, and national levels. This 211u001eForum brought together a diverse group of TIMSS researchers, state and local 211u001epolicymakers, teachers, school administrators, mathematics and science 211u001especialists, business representatives, university educators, and federal 211u001eofficials. Participants discussed what TIMSS means for systematic education 211u001ereform and identified several future directions for policy decisions and policy 211u001eresearch. This policy brief synthesizes the presentations and discussions that 211u001eoccurred during the TIMSS Policy Forum. It also draws from the TIMSS reports of 211u001ethe National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and from papers prepared by 211u001eresearchers involved in TIMSS.