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This study uses high school transcript data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS) to determine the validity of student-reported high school courses on the NAEP twelfth-grade student questionnaire. Given that the HSTS is not administered as part of every NAEP twelfth-grade assessment, self-reported course data are often used to better understand NAEP assessment findings; therefore, it is important to determine the validity of these data. Using multiple administrations of HSTS, this study investigates whether student course reporting has changed over time. The report also examines how self-reported courses may affect the reporting of outcome measures, such as the relationship between course-taking and achievement as reported on NAEP.

The "U.S. TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 Technical Report and User's Guide" provides an overview of the design and implementation of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011 in the United States and the nine participating benchmarking states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Carolina, along with information designed to facilitate access to the U.S. TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 data. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 is the fifth such study since this international comparison of student achievement was first conducted in 1995. Developed and implemented at the international level by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international organization of national research institutions and governmental research agencies, TIMSS is used to measure trends in the mathematics and science knowledge and skills of fourth- and eighth-graders. TIMSS is designed to align broadly with mathematics and science curricula in the participating countries. The results, therefore, suggest the degree to which students have learned mathematics and science concepts and skills likely to have been taught in school. TIMSS also collects background information on students, teachers, curricula, and schools to allow cross-national comparisons of educational contexts related to student achievement. In 2011, there were 54 countries and 20 other education systems (including all nine benchmarking states) that participated in TIMSS at the fourth- or eighth-grade level, or both. Also referenced here are three additional reports that provide a detailed treatment of TIMSS 2011 from an international perspective. Two of those reports are available in ERIC and are cross referenced at the end of this abstract. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international comparative study of student achievement. PIRLS 2011 represents the third such study since PIRLS was first conducted in 2001. Developed and implemented by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international organization of national research institutions and governmental research agencies, PIRLS is used to measure the reading knowledge and skills of fourth-graders over time. PIRLS is designed to align broadly with reading curricula in the participating education systems. The results, therefore, suggest the degree to which students have learned reading concepts and skills likely to have been taught in school. PIRLS also collects background information on students, teachers, schools, curricula, and official education policies to allow cross-national comparison of educational contexts that may be related to student achievement. In 2011, there were 40 countries and 13 other education systems (including Florida) that participated in PIRLS. Titles of two additional companion reports that provide a detailed treatment of PIRLS 2011 from an international perspective published by the IEA are provided here. Those that are available in ERIC are cross referenced at the end of this abstract. Descriptions of data collection activities and their timing within the United States provide a foundation for researchers seeking to understand the detail of the data. These activities are listed in exhibit 1-1 along with the timing of their implementation. The activities are described in detail in chapter 4 of this report. The basic parameters of the design and administration of TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 in the United States are outlined and a more detailed treatment is provided in subsequent chapters of this report. Appended are: (1) State Sampling Tables; (2) State Participation Rates; (3) TIMSS & PIRLS 2011 Recruitment Materials; (4) Informational Materials; (5) Field Staff Training Materials; (6) U.S. Versions of TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 Student, School, Teacher and Curriculum Questionnaires; and (7) TIMSS and PIRLS 2011 Questionnaire Adaptations. [The following companion reports are available in ERIC: (1) "TIMSS 2011 International Results in Mathematics" (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Arora, 2012) (ED544554); (2) "TIMSS 2011 International Results in Science" (Martin, Michael O.; Mullis, Ina V. S.; Foy, Pierre; Stanco, Gabrielle M.) (ED544560); (3) "Highlights from TIMSS 2011: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context. NCES 2013-009" (ED537756); (4) "PIRLS 2011 International Results in Reading" (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012) (ED544362); and (5) "Highlights from PIRLS 2011: Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context. NCES 2013-010" (ED537758).

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international comparative study of student achievement. In 2011, PIRLS was administered to nationally representative samples of 4th-grade students in 53 education systems around the world. The PIRLS assessment measures student performance on a combined reading literacy scale, as well as two subscales of purposes of reading: reading for literary experience and reading to acquire and use information. This report compares the performance of U.S. students with their peers around the world and also examines how the reading literacy of U.S. 4th-grade students has changed since the first administration of PIRLS in 2001 and the previous administration in 2006. Results are presented by two student characteristics (sex and race/ethnicity) and by one measure of school poverty (percent of students in the school eligible for free or reduced-price lunch). In the United States, one state, Florida, participated as a separate education system and is included in international comparisons. Total counts of education systems include Florida, not only as part of the U.S. national sample of public and private schools, but also individually with the state level public school sample. Note that because all education systems participating in PIRLS are treated equally, Florida is compared with the United States (national sample) throughout this report. All differences described in this report are statistically significant at the 0.05 level. No statistical adjustments to account for multiple comparisons were used. Key findings for the reading literacy scale in 2011 include the following: (1) The average score for U.S. students (556) was higher than the international PIRLS scale average, which is set to 500; (2) In 2011 the United States was among the top 13 education systems (5 education systems had higher averages and 7 were not measurably different). The United States average was higher than 40 education systems; (3) The 5 education systems with average scores above the U.S. average were Hong Kong-CHN, Florida-USA, the Russian Federation, Finland, and Singapore; (4) Compared with 2001, the U.S. average score was 14 points higher in 2011 (542 in 2001 vs. 556 in 2011); (5) Compared with 2006, the U.S. average score was 16 points higher in 2011 (540 in 2006 vs. 556 in 2011); (6) Considering the percentage of 4th-graders performing at or above the "Advanced" international reading benchmark: two education systems had a percentage that was higher than the United States, 7 education systems had percentages that were not measurably different than the United States, and 43 education systems had percentages lower than the United States; (7) The average score for girls was higher than the average scores for boys in the United States (562 vs. 551) and in the one education system separately assessed in the United States, Florida (576 vs. 561); (8) Compared to the U.S. national average reading score: White, Asian, and multiracial students scored higher on average, while Black and Hispanic 4th-graders scored lower on average than the U.S. average; and (9) In the United States, schools were classified into five categories on the basis of the percentage of students in the school eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students eligible and the average reading score in each category are as follows: less than 10 percent (605), 10 to 24.9 percent (584), 25 to 49.9 percent (568), 50 to 74.9 percent (544), and 75 percent or more (520). In all cases, children from schools with a lower level of free lunch eligibility had a higher average score than children from schools with a higher level of free lunch eligibility. Appended are: (1) Technical Notes; (2) Reading Passages and Items; (3) PIRLS-NAEP Comparison; and (4) Online Resources and Publications. (Contains 11 tables, 5 figures and 20 footnotes.)

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an assessment of reading comprehension of nine-year-olds in 35 countries and was conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). This report compares findings from the United States with other countries and takes a closer look at performance within the United States. Results indicated that: (1) United States fourth graders outperformed their counterparts in 23 of the 34 other countries, although they scored lower than students in England, the Netherlands, and Sweden; (2) the percentage of U.S. fourth graders reaching each of four benchmarks is higher than the international averages; (3) fourth-grade girls scored higher than fourth-grade boys in the combined reading literacy scale on average in every participating country; (4) with the exception of Black fourth graders, each racial/ethnic group in the United States scored higher than the international average on the combined reading literacy scale, as well as on the two reading subscales; (5) fourth graders in U.S. public elementary schools with the highest poverty levels scored lower on the combined reading literacy scale compared to their counterparts in schools with lower poverty levels; (6) 95% of U.S. fourth-grade students attend schools with a curricular emphasis on reading, which is greater than the international average of 78%; (7) 35% of U.S. fourth-grade students reported reading for fun every day or almost every day, which is smaller than the international average of 40%; (8) 32% of U.S. fourth-grade students reported they never or almost never read for fun outside of school, a significantly higher percentage that the international average of 18%; and (9) U.S. fourth graders who reported reading literary fiction outside of school at least once or twice a month had higher scores on the combined reading literacy scale than those who never or almost never did so. Contains sample items from PIRLS 2001 and a brief description of the IEA International Reading Literacy Study of 1991. Appendixes contain technical notes; a brief analysis of the similarities and differences between PIRLS and the upcoming National Assessment of Educational Progress results of testing of U.S. fourth graders; and supplemental tables of data. (Contains 15 figures and 10 exhibits.) (RS)

This report presents results from the first cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA is a new international assessment of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science literacy. The United States has joined with 27 other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and 4 non-OECD countries to assess their students performance against international benchmarks through PISA. PISA content is not drawn strictly from school curricula, but rather from a framework agreed to nationally on what reading, mathematics, and science literacy mean. After the year 2000, PISA results are scheduled to be available every 3 years so that progress for each of the subjects can be tracked over time. As a first step toward measurement of cross-curricular competencies, in PISA 2000, student questionnaires sought information about student attitudes toward reading and learning strategies. This information, in conjunction with achievement data, provide baseline information for later PISA studies. Four appendixes contain technical notes, descriptions of the international studies in subject areas, supporting statistical data, and the released items from the PISA 2000 assessments. (Contains 38 tables, 26 figures, and 41 references.) (SLD)

This report presents revised results from the first cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA is a new international assessment of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics, and science literacy. The United States has joined with 27 other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and 4 non-OECD countries to assess their students performance against international benchmarks. PISA content is not drawn strictly from school curricula, but rather form a framework agreed to nationally in what reading, mathematics, and science literacy mean. After the year 2000, PISA results are scheduled to be available every 3 years so that progress can be tracked over time. In PISA 2000, student questionnaires sought information about student attitudes toward reading and learning strategies. This information and achievement data provide baseline information for later PISA studies. Four appendixes contain technical notes, descriptions of international studies in subject areas, supporting statistical data, and the released items from PISA 2000 assessments. (Contains 38 tables, 26 figures, and 41 references.) (SLD)