Performance is above the international average.
Performance is above the international average on five of the six content categories, but below the international average on the sixth category. Our students were above the international average for every topic except that of measurement, estimation, and number sense, where they were below the average. The strong performance of U.S. students at grade 4, as at grade 8, suggests that our efforts to introduce these topics are paying off. Moreover, it is clear from the whole numbers category of the test that our fourth graders are not lagging behind in their computational skills. Their below-average showing on measurement, estimation, and number sense items is puzzling and calls for further analysis.