Because NAEP estimates of state-level achievement play an important role in the evaluation of strategies for improving the nation's educational system, it is important that these estimates have as small a standard error as possible. NAEP estimates for state-level achievement are based on measurement of the performance of a random sample of…

In 2003, U.S. students' mathematics performance was assessed by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for students in grades 4 and 8 and by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) for students at age 15. Results in the press and later summaries, such as that found in The Condition of Education (NCES,…

The low performance of Chile in the TIMSS 1999 international study of mathematics and science achievement was a great disappointment. To investigate the likely causes for low performance in mathematics, this study 1) compared Chile to three countries and one large school system that had comparable economic conditions but superior mathematics…

This booklet provides parents and students with answers to their questions about ISTEP+ (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus), which measures tenth-grade student achievement in English/language arts and mathematics. After a letter from Suellen Reed, Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction, the booklet discusses what…

The first volume of the proceedings of the 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following 13 full papers: (1) "Some Psychological Issues in the Assessment of Mathematical Performance" (O. Bjorkqvist); (2) "Neuromagnetic Approach in Cognitive Neuroscience" (S.…

The second volume of the proceedings of 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following papers: (1) "The Dilemma of Transparency: Seeing and Seeing through Talk in the Mathematics Classroom" (J. Adler); (2) "Abstraction is Hard in Computer-Science Too" (D.…

The third volume of the proceedings of 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following papers: (1) "Graphics Calculators Use in Precalculus and Achievement in Calculus" (P. Gomez and F. Femandez); (2) "Tapping into Algebraic Variables through the Graphic…

The fourth volume of the proceedings of 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following papers: (1) "A Model for Discriminating amongst Student Teachers of Mathematics" (P. Perks); (2) "A Study of Teachers' Conceptions about Mathematics" (G.N. Philippou and C.…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the nation's only ongoing representative sample survey of student achievement in core subject areas. In 2000, NAEP conducted a national mathematics assessment of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students. State-level results were also collected at the fourth and eighth grades within…

Beginning in 1999, all of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) had to be aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. This handbook describes the PSSA mathematics assessment. Following an overview of the PSSA, the second chapter focuses on the development and scoring of the mathematics assessment. Administering the assessment…

This report provides information on the status of summer schools in New York City in 2000. The report describes: (1) "Planning and Management"; (2) "Student Information" (319,167 students were preregistered for summer school, and 87.9 percent of mandated students attended, compared to 64.4 percent the year before); (3)…

The National Transition Demonstration Study was conducted to provide information about the implementation and impact of a federally funded program to enhance early public school transition of former Head Start children and their families by extending Head Start-like supports through the first 4 years of elementary school. The study design involved…

This study investigated individual achievement change over time in mathematics for African American students, whether this differs from student to student, and whether individual growth parameters for this domain were related over time. The study also sought to gain a deeper understanding of individual change in student academic achievement…

Much research identifies a gender gap in mathematics and some research points to single-gender mathematics classrooms as a solution to the mathematics gender divide. A 7-week study was conducted in which 5th grade students (N=50) were organized into two mathematics classes. The goal was to examine whether single-gender mathematics classes had an…

This report reanalyzes test score data from Florida public schools in the context of determining the effects of vouchers on student performance. In response to a recent report from the Manhattan Institute, An Evaluation of the Florida A-Plus Accountability and School Choice Program, by J. P. Greene, 2001, it offers a different perspective and an…