Dear Member of Congress:
The United States currently is not scheduled to participate in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Advanced 2008, which will examine the performance of students at the end of their secondary year (12th grade) in Advanced Mathematics, including algebra, geometry, and calculus, as well as Physics. In addition, the TIMSS Advanced Assessment Frameworks include measures of student performance in three cognitive domains: knowing, applying, and reasoning.
I believe strongly that the United States should participate in TIMSS Advanced 2008. This study is well aligned with the American Competitiveness Initiative, and it supports our nation’s increasing focus on high school, specifically to improve the quality of high school students’ education and preparedness for higher education or the workforce. Data gathered from TIMSS is valuable in guiding decisions about the high school experience, from curriculum to teachers to schools, as well as larger issues affecting our entire education system.
Corporate CEOs in recent years, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Craig Barrett of Intel, have been emphasizing the need to produce more students who pursue careers in mathematics and science. Most of these students can be identified in the advanced mathematics and science classes in high school. Thus, it is important to gather all the information we can about the outcome of these courses through an international lens.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) traditionally manages U.S. participation in international studies in mathematics, science and reading, and it is directing U.S. participation in TIMSS 2007 (grades 4 and 8 in mathematics and science). However, due to a lack of personnel and no budget for the study (NCES budget has been flat for the past several years), NCES was not able to manage U.S. participation in TIMSS Advanced 2008.
At a time when the President, Congress, and the public are all acknowledging the urgent need to improve math and science education in the United States, participation in TIMSS is even more important to bolster this greater focus with useful data. Not participating in this worldwide assessment will deprive us of data that cannot be gathered through any other means.
Australia, Finland, Germany, Iran, Italy, Norway, the Russian Federation, and Sweden are among the countries that will participate in TIMSS Advanced 2008. The absence of the United States from this group is conspicuous and would speak poorly to the long-standing importance we have always placed on education in this country.
I urge you to increase funding for NCES in the FY2008 budget and beyond, so they will not again be stymied in their effort to continue their excellent work.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. If you have further questions or if the Council can be of further assistance in any way, please feel free to contact me, NCTM Executive Director Jim Rubillo (703 620-9840, ext.2106) or NCTM Director of Public Affairs Ken Krehbiel (703 620-9840, ext.2102).
Sincerely,
Francis (Skip) Fennell
President
