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SUMMARY OF U.S. NATIONAL CHANGES TO TIMSS 2015 INSTRUMENTS

Changes between final TIMSS 2015 Field Test international background questionnaires and the draft 

TIMSS 2015 Main Assessment background questionnaires for grades 4 and 8 are listed in this document, 

in the following order: 

TIMSS 2015 - School questionnaires......................................................................................................................1

Changes	to	questions	in	both	grades	4	and	8	school	background	questionnaires:.........................................1

TIMSS 2015 - Teacher questionnaire.....................................................................................................................3

Changes	to	questions	in	both	grades	4	and	8	teacher	background	questionnaires:......................................3

Changes	to	questions	in	the	8	math	teacher	background	questionnaire	only:.................................................4

Changes	to	questions	in	the	8	science	teacher	background	questionnaire	only:.............................................5

TIMSS 2015 - Student questionnaire.....................................................................................................................5

Changes	to	questions	in	both	grades	4	and	8	student	background	questionnaires:......................................5

Changes	to	questions	in	the	grade	4	student	background	questionnaire	only:................................................8

TIMSS 2015 - School questionnaires

Changes to questions in both grades 4 and 8 school background questionnaires:

1. Adds an entirely new national question:

G04- Around the first of October, 2014 what percentage of students at this school were eligible to 

receive free or reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program?

with response options:

Write in a number. 

_________ percentage of students

2. Adds an entirely new national question:

G06- Of the students currently enrolled in your school, what percentage has been identified as 

limited-English proficient (LEP)/English language learners (ELL)?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only. 

1. 0% 

2. 1-5% 

3. 6-10% 

4. 11-25% 

5. 26-50% 

6. 51-75% 
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7. 76-90% 

8. Over 90%

3. Adds an entirely national new question:

G07- What type of school is this?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

 

1. Regular public school 

2. A regular public school with a magnet program 

3. A magnet school or school with a special program emphasis (e.g ., Montessori, science/math 

school, performing arts school, talented/gifted school, foreign language immersion school, etc.) 

4. Special education: a school that primarily serves students with disabilities 

5. Alternative: a school designed to address the needs of students, typically at risk of 

educational failure, which cannot be met in regular schools 

6. Vocational 

7. Charter school 

8. Private (independent) 

9. Private (religiously affiliated) 

10. Other

4. Adds an entirely national new question:

G09- Which best characterizes the average income level of the school’s immediate area?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. High

2. Medium

3. Low

5. Adds entirely new national questions and national response categories:

G18a - To what degree is each of the following a problem among teachers in your school? 

Arriving late or leaving early

G18b - To what degree is each of the following a problem among teachers in your school? 

Absenteeism

with response options:
3

Check one circle for each line.

1. Not a problem

2. Minor problem

3. Moderate problem

4. Serious problem

6. Adds entirely new national questions and national response categories:

G19a (grade 4); G19a (grade 8); G20a (grade 8) – In your school, are any of the following used to 

evaluate the practice of (fourth grade/eighth grade mathematics/eighth grade science) teachers?

Observations by the principal or senior staff

G19b (grade 4); G19b (grade 8); G20b (grade 8) – In your school, are any of the following used to 

evaluate the practice of (fourth grade/eighth grade mathematics/eighth grade science) teachers?

Observations by inspectors or other persons external to the school

G19c (grade 4); G19c (grade 8); G20a (grade 8) – In your school, are any of the following used to 

evaluate the practice of (fourth grade/eighth grade mathematics/eighth grade science) teachers?

Student achievement

G19d (grade 4); G19d (grade 8); G20d (grade 8) – In your school, are any of the following used to 

evaluate the practice of (fourth grade/eighth grade mathematics/eighth grade science) teachers?

Teacher peer review

with response options: Yes/No

TIMSS 2015 - Teacher questionnaire 

Changes to questions in both grades 4 and 8 teacher background 

questionnaires:

7. Adds an entirely new national question:

G01 - What year did you start teaching?

with response options:

Please write in a year.

__________

8. Adds a new national response category:

G07a- How would you characterize each of the following within your school?

Teacher’s job satisfaction
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with response option:

Check one circle for each line.

1. Very high

2. High

3. Medium

4. Low

5. Very low

9. Changes wording of national response category:

24c (grade 4); 25c (grade 8 math); 24c (grade 8 science) - How much emphasis do you place on the 

following sources to monitor students’ progress in mathematics?

National or regional achievement tests

to

 How much emphasis do you place on the following sources to monitor students’ progress in 

mathematics?

State or district achievement tests

Changes to questions in the 8 math teacher background questionnaire only:

10. Adds an entirely new national question:

G19 - Which best describes the mathematics course you are teaching to the class with the TIMSS 

students?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. Basic or general eighth-grade math (not algebra or pre-algebra)

2. Pre-algebra or introduction to algebra

3.Two-year pre-algebra

4. Algebra I (one-year course)

5. Algebra I (first year of a two-year Algebra I course)

6. Algebra I (second year of two-year Algebra I course)

7. Geometry

8. Algebra II

9. Integrated or sequential math

10. Other math class
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Changes to questions in the 8 science teacher background questionnaire only:

11. Adds an entirely new national question:

G19 - Which best describes the science course you are teaching to the class with the TIMSS 

students?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. General science (several content areas of science taught separately)

2. Integrated science (several content areas of science combined and taught together 

throughout the year)

3. Life science (e.g., biology, ecosystems, human health)

4. Physical science (e.g., physics or chemistry)

5. Earth science (e.g., geology, Earth and the solar system, fossils)

TIMSS 2015 - Student questionnaire 

Changes to questions in both grades 4 and 8 student background 

questionnaires:

12. Adds an entirely new national question:

G01b - Are you Hispanic or Latino?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. Yes, I am Hispanic or Latino

2. No, I am not Hispanic or Latino

13. Adds an entirely new national question:

G01c - Which of the following best describes you?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. White 

2. Black or African American
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3. Asian 

4. American Indian or Alaska Native

5. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

14. Adds an entirely new national question:

G03b - What language do you speak at home (other than English)? 

with response options: 

Fill in one circle only. 

1. Spanish 

2. Other Please specify _________

15. Adds entirely new questions and national response categories: 

G05a (grade 4); G04a (grade 8) - The following questions ask about activities you do outside of 

school. 

Do you play on a sports team outside of school? 

G05b (grade 4); G04b (grade 8) - The following questions ask about activities you do outside of 

school. 

Do you often play a musical instrument outside of school? 

G05c (grade 4); G04c (grade 8) - The following questions ask about activities you do outside of 

school. 

Are you studying something in a class outside of school? 

G05d (grade 4); G04d (grade 8) - The following questions ask about activities you do outside of 

school. 

Do you belong to a club outside of school (like Boy/Girl Scouts, 4-H, or Boys and Girls Club)? 

with response options: yes/no

16. Adds an entirely new national question:

G06 (grade 4); G05 (grade 8) Are you preparing for or have you participated in a science club, a 

science fair, or a science competition?

with response options: yes/no

17. Adds an entirely new national question:

G07 (grade 4); G06 (grade 8) - How many days were you absent from school in the last month?

with response options: 

Fill in one circle only. 
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1. None 

2. 1 or 2 days 

3. 3 or 4 days 

4. 5 to 10 days 

5. More than 10 days

18. Adds entirely new national questions and national category responses:

G08a (grade 4) - Have you ever repeated a grade? In elementary school

G07a (grade 8) – Have you ever repeated a grade? In middle or junior high school

with response options: 

Yes/No

19. Adds a new national category response: 

G10h - Do you have any of these things at your home? <country-specific indicator of wealth>

with response option: 

VCR, DVD, or Blu-ray player

20. Adds an entirely new national question:

G20 (grade 4); G30(grade 8) - How hard was this test compared to most other tests you have taken 

this year in school?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. Easier than other tests

2. About as hard as other tests

3. Harder than other tests

4. Much harder than other tests

21. Adds an entirely new national question:

G21 (grade 4); G32 (grade 8) - How hard did you try on this test compared to how hard you tried 

on most other tests you have taken this year in school?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.
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1. Not as hard as on other tests

2. About as hard as on other tests

3. Harder than on other tests

4. Much harder than on other tests

22. Adds an entirely new national question:

G22 (grade 4); G32 (grade 8) - How important was it to you to do well on this test?

with response options:

Fill in one circle only.

1. Not very important

2. Somewhat important

3. Important

4. Very important

Changes to questions in the grade 4 student background questionnaire only:

23. Adds an entirely new national question:

G04a - Was your mother (or stepmother or female legal guardian) born in the United States? 

(“United States” includes the 50 states, its territories, the District of Columbia, and U.S. military 

bases abroad) 

with response options: yes/no

24. Adds an entirely new national question:

G04b - Was your father (or stepfather or male legal guardian) born in the United States? 

with response options: yes/no

25. Adds an entirely new national question:

G4C - Were you born in the United States?

with response options: yes/no