Our expectations are not very rigorous by international standards. We haven't had a national effort to change the nature of our middle schools. But the study's federal sponsors were quick to discount analyses that were harshly critical of U.S. middle school students. So, the students in some of the nations that performed like us or below us in fourth grade in 1995 are being introduced to topics and learning at a rate that, when compared to U.S. students, leads them to higher achievement levels by the eighth grade. Boys did outperform girls in science this time, as they did in the earlier study.
White students continue to score higher in both subjects than black or Hispanic students.
Shearon says he also worries that high-achieving students are neglected in middle school. In 2002, U.S. officials will release a video series associated with this test that shows how teachers in high-performing countries teach math and science. Copyright 2000, National School Boards Association. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher.