TIMSS Research

Located at Michigan State University, TIMSS National Research Center is dedicated to using the research associated with the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study to improve mathematics and science education in the United States. Dr. William Schmidt, Director of the Center, has offered to study Bellevue’s K-12 mathematics and science curricula by comparing our student performance (grades 3 through 12), teacher responses, and curriculum standards and materials to those of nations who have scored at the top of TIMSS assessments. According to Schmidt, American students perform poorly on international comparisons because our curriculum is “a mile wide and an inch deep.” His extensive analysis of our current program should provide a roadmap for making both our mathematics and science program among the best in the world.

April 2004 UPDATE:

A Summary Profile of Mathematics and Science Education in the Bellevue School District

The purpose of this report, funded by the Bellevue Schools Foundation is to provide information to facilitate Bellevue's mission to achieve K-16 alignment for every student. This assessment of the current state of mathematics and science education in Bellevue is an essential benchmark against which future efforts towards the goal may be measured. This report examined content standards, achievement results, allocation of instruction time, and teacher preparedness. In so doing, it substantiates the relationship between content coverage and learning. What is being taught and to whom makes a difference. Such choices must not be arbitrary. ( click here to view the rest of the summary report as PDF file)

• View the PowerPoint Dr. Schmidt presented to Bellevue audiences on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 entitled, IMPROVING COLLEGE READINESS: A Profile of Mathematics and Science Education in the Bellevue School District

• Complete 61 page Bellevue Report as PDF document

• The public presentation given by Dr. Schmidt on March 23, 2004 at Highland MS is available here on our website via windows media streaming - click here to view 1hr 28 min. presentation.

• How Well Do Advanced Placement Students Perform on the TIMSS Advanced Mathematics and Physics Tests? - A study funded by the College Board; Authors, Eugenio J.Gonzalez, Kathleen M.O’Connor and Julie A.Miles June, 2001

This report presents the results of a second administration of the TIMSS Advanced Mathematics test and TIMSS Physics test to a sample of students enrolled in AP Calculus and AP Physics courses throughout the United States. In the TIMSS Advanced Mathematics test the AP Calculus students significantly outperformed all students in other countries in the TIMSS 1995 assessment except for students in France. (click here to view complete 64 page PDF document)


• Math Standards - View the K-8 math standards created by Dr. Bill Schmidt and a team of mathematics educators, mathematicans and educational researchers. The intent of the project was to create a standard that is mathematically vigorous and educationally meaningful. The committee worked over a period of 6 months to refine the standards.