U.S. Department of Education
Looking for a way to compare mathematics curricula and assessment frameworks against national and international benchmarks? The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessment module, Attaining Excellence: TIMSS as a Starting Point to Examine Mathematics Assessments, contains two publications for that purpose: An In-Depth Look at Algebra and Geometry, and Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Teaching, Learning, Curriculum, and Achievement in International Context.
The former will enable educators to compare National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and TIMSS mathematical assessment questions with their state and district 8th-grade assessments. The latter is the third and final report by the National Center for Education Statistics comparing U.S. 12th-grade achievement with 20 other countries. The mathematics content areas evaluated in these publications illustrate the types of challenging mathematics that should be emphasized in curricula and instruction.
This module complements previous TIMSS modules and Attaining Excellence: A TIMSS Resource Kit.