How Do Other Countries Measure Up to the Mathematics Achievement Levels on the National Assessment of Educational Progress?

Abstract

In this study, we mapped achievement levels from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) onto the score scales for selected assessments from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Program for International Student Achievement (PISA). The mapping was conducted on NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA Mathematics assessments in 2003. A focus of the study was on whether the NAEP achievement levels were set too high. The results indicated that students from many other countries had substantially larger percentages of students meeting NAEP mathematics achievement levels. In general, the findings suggest the NAEP standard for Advanced is high, but not too high when considered within an international context. With respect to the NAEP standard of Proficient, none of the top-performing countries approached 100% proficient, which seems to underscore the different conceptualizations of “Proficient” in NAEP and No Child Left Behind.