Ill. Scores at Odds With Perceptions of Capabilities

By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo

Illinois teachers and students feel confident about their knowledge of science and math, but that confidence is at odds with the state's lackluster performance in an international comparison.

The chasm has led a state task force to recommend extensive teacher training and curriculum development to ensure that Illinois students meet world-class standards in those subjects.

In its report on the state's middling ranking on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, a panel of math and science educators told the state school board last month that proper implementation of national standards and the state's frameworks in math and science is critical...