TIMSS

TIMSS, or Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, is an international assessment designed to measure the mathematics and science achievement of students in grade four and grade eight. Administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), TIMSS is conducted in collaboration with the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College. The study collects students’ knowledge and skills through standardized tests and gathers contextual information through questionnaires completed by students, teachers, and school principals. The data are used to produce international benchmarks, country averages, and trend data across cycles, and to explore factors such as curriculum alignment, instructional time, and school resources.

TIMSS began in the mid-1990s and has been conducted every four years since, enabling comparisons over time and across a wide range of countries and regions. The assessment covers mathematics and science with items designed to reflect curricula and practices in participating countries. Sampling aims to produce representative cohorts of grade 4 and grade 8 students in each country, with results reported at the national level and with international comparisons. In addition to achievement scores, TIMSS reports context data on student attitudes, instructional practices, and school conditions, providing a holistic picture of factors associated with performance.

Results are used by governments, researchers, and educators to inform policy, curriculum development, and teaching practices. TIMSS results are published in international reports and are accessible through the TIMSS website, often accompanied by shorter country reports and item-level analyses.