Colorado 8th-graders outperform other students in science, math

Colorado eighth-graders performed above international and national averages in science and math, the Colorado Department of Education said Tuesday.

The students’ average math score of 518 was above the international average of 500 and the U.S. average of 509 in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, an international comparative study of student achievement. Tests were administered in April and May of last year.

However, the average math scores of the East Asian countries of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as Massachusetts, were significantly higher than Colorado’s average scores for both science and math. Other states that outperformed Colorado in mathematics were North Carolina and Minnesota.

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Colorado was one of 16 systems that had higher percentages of eighth-graders reaching the advanced international math benchmark than the U.S. in math. Thirty-six countries and education systems scored lower than Colorado in math, while Colorado scored lower than 10 countries and education systems.

The state scored significantly higher than the study’s math average for male, female, white and Asian students. The scores of students from other racial groups were not significantly different from the study average.

Colorado’s average science score of 542 was in the top third of all countries and education systems and above the U.S. average of 525. Colorado was one of 18 systems that had higher percentages of eighth-graders reaching the advanced international science benchmark than the U.S. Thirty-nine countries and education systems scored lower than Colorado, while six countries and education systems scored higher.

Colorado was one of eight states selected to participate in the 2011 study. The test was given to eighth graders in 38 countries and 18 education systems