In 1999, international math and science tests were administered to the same cohort of 8th graders in 17 countries that took the tests as 4th graders in 1995. The charts below show how each nation’s students measured up against the average score of the 17 countries. For example, U.S. 4th graders scored 28 points higher than the average in science in 1995, but as 8th graders scored nine points below the average in 1999.
Color Key:
|
| Mathematics | |||
| 1995 4th grade | 1999 8th grade | ||
| Singapore | 73 | Singapore | 8 0 |
| South Korea | 63 | South Korea | 63 |
| Japan | 50 | Hong Kong | 58 |
| Hong Kong | 40 | Japan | 5 5 |
| Netherlands¹ | 32 | Netherlands | 16 |
| Czech Republic | 23 | Hungary | 8 |
| Slovenia¹ | 8 | Canada | 7 |
| Hungary¹ | 4 | Slovenia | 6 |
| United States | 0 | Australia | 1 |
| Australia¹ | 0 | Czech Republic | -4 |
| Italy¹ | -7 | Latvia² | -19 |
| Canada | -12 | United States | -22 |
| Latvia² | -18 | England | -28 |
| England¹ | -33 | New Zealand | -33 |
| Cyprus | -42 | Italy | -39 |
| New Zealand | -48 | Cyprus | -48 |
| Iran | - 130 | Iran | -102 |
| International average of 17 nations | 517 | International average of 17 nations | 524 |
| Science | |||
| 1995 4th grade | 1999 8th grade | ||
| South Korea | 62 | Singapore | 44 |
| Japan | 39 | Hungary | 28 |
| United States | 28 | Japan | 25 |
| Australia¹ | 28 | South Korea | 24 |
| Czech Republic | 18 | Netherlands | 21 |
| Netherlands¹ | 17 | Australia | 16 |
| England¹ | 14 | Czech Republic | 15 |
| Canada | 12 | England | 14 |
| Italy¹ | 10 | Slovenia | 9 |
| Singapore | 10 | Canada³ | 9 |
| Slovenia¹ | 8 | Hong Kong | 5 |
| Hong Kong | -6 | United States | -9 |
| Hungary¹ | -6 | New Zealand | -15 |
| New Zealand | -9 | Latvia² | -21 |
| Latvia² | -27 | Italy | -26 |
| Cyprus | -64 | Cyprus | -64 |
| Iran | - 134 | Iran | -76 |
| International average of 17 nations | 514 | International average of 17 nations | 524 |
—¹ Indicates did not meet international sampling and/or other guidelines at 4th grade in 1995.
—² Only Latvian-speaking schools were tested.
—³ Although Slovenia scores higher than Canada in science, its results are not statistically different from the mean, while Canada’s are, because its sample size is smaller.
