Comparing Mathematics Content in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 Assessments

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects information on student  performance in key subject areas through the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),  as well as through participation in international studies of student achievement. Information from  these studies is used to inform policymakers, educators, researchers, and the public about the
knowledge and skills of U.S. students and how these compare with students in other countries.

This technical report describes a study that was undertaken to compare the content of three mathematics assessments conducted in 2003: the NAEP fourth- and eighth-grade assessments; the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which also assessed mathematics at the fourth- and eighth-grade levels; and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which assessed the mathematical literacy of 15-year-old students. Its aim is to provide information useful for interpreting and comparing the results from the three assessments, based on an in-depth look at the content of the respective frameworks and assessment items.