High-Level Science Exams in 5 Nations Studied

By Meg Sommerfeld

Washington

Compared with their peers in other major industrialized nations, proportionately fewer American students take and pass rigorous, high-level physics and chemistry exams at the end of secondary school, according to a study of science-examination systems in five countries.

From one-fourth to more than a third of young adults take and pass high-level exams in those subjects in other industrialized countries, says the report, which was released here last week by the American Federation of Teachers and the National Center...