The Answer Sheet: international comparisons


Posted at 06:02 AM ET, 05/03/2013

"We're Number Umpteenth!": The myth of lagging U.S. schools
By Valerie Strauss
The premise that American students lag behind counterparts in other countries is so widely accepted that it's casually repeated by just about everyone -- including educators. Here's why it's wrong.

By Valerie Strauss  |  06:02 AM ET, 05/03/2013 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  International Comparisons

Posted at 04:27 PM ET, 12/07/2010

Hysteria over PISA misses the point
By Valerie Strauss
Reaction in the United States to the PISA results -- in which American 15 year olds scored essentially average in reading, math and science -- was swift, sharp, and perhaps hysterical. But it missed the big point: No Child Left Behind didn't do anything to improve things.

By Valerie Strauss  |  04:27 PM ET, 12/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Standardized Tests, Standardized Tests | Tags:  international comparisons, nclb, no child left behind, pisa, pisa rankings, pisa reaction, u.s. scoring on pisa, where u.s. ranks in pisa

Posted at 09:30 AM ET, 12/07/2010

Sample PISA questions given to 15-year-olds
By Valerie Strauss
Here are some sample questions given to 15-year-old students on the PISA exam. Test yourself.

By Valerie Strauss  |  09:30 AM ET, 12/07/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Standardized Tests | Tags:  international comparisons, pisa, pisa questions, pisa results, sample questions

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 12/06/2010

Do international test comparisons make sense?
By Valerie Strauss
Tomorrow we will learn the latest results of a major international test, and we can expect a lot of angst over the ranking of U.S. students. Before the hullabalo starts, let's look back at what Gerald Bracey thought about international comparisons. The short answer: Not much.

By Valerie Strauss  |  05:00 AM ET, 12/06/2010 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Categories:  Standardized Tests | Tags:  gerald bracey, how u.s. students fare internationally, how u.s. students rank, international comparisons, pisa, standardized tests, timss, u.s. comparisons internationally