For those who are not aware, the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is an international test which provokes many people to get bent out of shape when they see the American results compared to other countries. Politicians and anti-public school groups, as well as sincere reformers, jump on these numbers as proof our schools continue to fail our children.

I ask that, rather than blindly accepting the numbers of TIMSS as an equal comparison, Americans look at the students who are generating the test scores. The first question to ask is not, “Are American scores comparable or better than our fellow nations?” Instead, everyone should be asking, “Are we comparing like populations?”

The sort answer is: no.

The long answer lies below. continue reading…