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Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 2015
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The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, 2015 (TIMSS 2015) is a data collection that is part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) program; program data are available since 1995 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=073. TIMSS 2015 (https://nces.ed.gov/timss/) is a cross-sectional study that provides international comparative information of the mathematics and science literacy of fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-grade students and examines factors that may be associated with the acquisition of math and science literacy in students. The study was conducted using direct assessments of students and questionnaires for students, teachers, and school administrators. Fourth-, eighth-, and twelfth-graders in the 2014–15 school year were sampled. The twelfth-grade assessment is called TIMSS Advanced. Key statistics produced from TIMSS 2015 provide reliable and timely data on the mathematics and science achievement of U.S. students compared to that of students in other countries.
Detailed Methodology
The international desired target population is all students enrolled in the grade that represents 4 or 8 years of schooling. The sample design employed by the TIMSS 2015 assessment is generally referred to as a two-stage stratified cluster sample: the first stage involves sampling schools and the second involces selecting classrooms within sampled schools. TIMSS guidelines call for a minimum of 150 schools to be sampled per grade, with a minimum of 4,000 students assessed per grade. In the United States, around 250 schools participated at the 4th grade and around 250 at the 8th grade.