Impact and Implication of TIMSS 
on Building a New Science Framework for North Carolina

In 1998 and 1999, the UNC Mathematics and Science Education Network hosted a forum on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), an international study of math and science education. In 1995, 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade students from the United States and their peers from approximately fifty countries participated in TIMMS by completing standardized tests covering science and math. In addition, teacher surveys, science and math textbooks, videotaped classroom lessons and national science and mathematics education frameworks from each country were compared. 

The results for students from the United States were extremely disappointing. While students in the 4^th grade rated above the international average in both science and mathematics, by 12^th grade, students had plunged to the bottom of the ratings in both, indicating a real need for reform in science and mathematics education. 

The North Carolina TIMSS forums served as a vehicle for discussion of the results and how to use them as a springboard from which to launch reforms in North Carolina classrooms. Three symposia were held, with presentations on “"Using TIMSS to Promote School Improvement" by Dr. Martin Orland of the National Center for Educational Statistics, "Teaching of Mathematics" by Dr. Sid Rachlin from the Department of Mathematics at East Carolina University, and "Evaluation and Assessment: Policy Implications from TIMSS" by Dr. William Schmidt, the U.S. Research Coordinator for TIMSS. 

The consensus following these three lectures was that North Carolina had a pressing need for a new science framework. This February, Dr. Schmidt graciously returned to speak to the science and math education community and to revisit how the results of the TIMSS test could guide the process of developing a new framework. The key points of his two presentations are summarized on the following pages. 
 
 

CONTINUED