Highlights of Ontario Results

Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study (TIMSS), 2011
Highlights of Ontario Results: Grade 4 Mathematics
TIMSS measures the mathematics and science achievement of students in Grades 4 and 8.
Participation
TIMSS has been administered to Grade 4 students in 1995, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Ontario students participated in each assessment.
Grade 4 Mathematics Achievement, Results by Jurisdiction
Yemen
Average scale scores and con�dence intervals
250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Statistically higher than Ontario
Statistically the same as Ontario
Statistically lower than Ontario
248
Tunisia
Kuwait 342
Morocco 335
Singapore 606
Korea, Rep. of
Hong Kong, S.A.R.
605
602
Chinese Taipei 591
Japan 585
Northern Ireland 562
North Carolina, U.S.A. 554
Belgium (Flemish) 549
Florida, U.S.A. 545
Finland 545
England 542
Russian Federation
United States
542
541
Netherlands 540
Denmark 537
Lithuania 534
Quebec, Canada 533
Portugal
Germany
532
528
Ireland 527
Ontario, Canada 518
Serbia
Australia
Hungary
516
516
515
Slovenia 513
Czech Republic 511
Austria 508
Italy
Alberta, Canada
Slovak Republic
508
507
507
Sweden 504
Kazakhstan
TIMSS Scale Centrepoint
501
500
Malta
Norway
496
495
Croatia
New Zealand
490
486
Spain 482
Romania 482
Poland
Turkey 469
481
Dubai, U.A.E.
Azerbaijan
468
463
Chile
Thailand
Armenia
462
458
452
Georgia 450
Bahrain 436
United Arab Emirates
Iran, Islamic Rep. of
434
431
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Saudi Arabia
95% Con�dence Interval
Qatar
417
Oman 385
359
413
410
The width of each bar represents the uncertainty due to sampling. There is a 95% probability that the average scale score for each jurisdiction would be within
the corresponding bar 19 times out of 20. The jurisdictions are listed according to the ranking of their scores.
■ Fifty-seven jurisdictions participated in the TIMSS Grade 4 mathematics study.
■ In Grade 4, 20 jurisdictions have an average score significantly higher than Ontario’s, five jurisdictions have the same average as Ontario’s
and 31 jurisdictions have a significantly lower average.
■ Ontario’s scores are significantly higher than Alberta’s and lower than Quebec’s.
■ At the international level, among those participating in both years, there has been little change in the list of jurisdictions outperforming Ontario
on the TIMSS mathematical assessments in 2007 and 2011.
■ TIMSS defines four achievement benchmarks: Advanced, High, Intermediate and Low. Scale scores between 475 and 549 points fall
in the Intermediate benchmark. Scores at or above 625 are Advanced.
■ The average scale score in mathematics among Ontario’s Grade 4 students was at the Intermediate benchmark.
■ No participating jurisdiction had an average scale score at the Advanced benchmark.

Average Sc
100
Grade 4 Mathematics, Trends in Achievement (Canadian Provinces)
0
Ontario Alberta Quebec
600
Average Scale Score
500
400
300
200
100
0
■ The average scale score for Ontario’s Grade 4 students has increased significantly, from 489 to 518, between 1995 and 2011 (a total of 29
points), but there has been no significant change between 2003 and 2011.
■ Alberta’s results have remained statistically unchanged and Quebec’s results have dropped significantly since 1995.
Grade 4 Mathematics, Trends in Achievement (Percentages of Students Reaching or Exceeding the
TIMSS Intermediate Benchmark)
Percentage of Students (%)
Percentage of Students (%)
300
200
100
80
60
40
20
0
100
80
■ The percentage of Ontario 70% 71% 73%
74%
74%
Grade 4 students achieving or exceeding 69% the TIMSS 70% Intermediate benchmark 69% has increased significantly, 1995 from
59%
59% to 73%, 60 between 1995 and 2011, but there has been no significant change between 2003 and 2011.
2003
■ In Quebec, the percentage of students reaching or exceeding the Intermediate benchmark has decreased significantly between 1995
40
n/a
2007
and 2011.
20
2011
About TIMSS 0
489
Ontario Alberta Quebec
■ TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).
■ A total of 4570 Grade 4 students participated in Ontario.
About EQAO: The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) acts as a catalyst for increasing the success of
Ontario students by measuring their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics against a common curriculum
benchmark. As an independent provincial agency, EQAO plays a pivotal role by conducting province-wide tests at key
points in every student’s primary, junior and secondary education and reporting the results. The objective and reliable facts
obtained add to the current knowledge about student learning and are an important tool for improvement at the individual,
school and provincial levels.
TIMSS_48e_highlights_1212
59%
511 512 518
523
n/a
n/a
505 507
Ontario Alberta Quebec
70% 71% 73%
74%
n/a
550
87%
506 519 533
Ontario Alberta Quebec
83%
2007
2011
1995
2003
2007
2011
87%
83%
69% 70% 69%
74%
1995
2003
2007
2011
December 2012

■ Fifty-six jurisdictions participated in the TIMSS Grade 8 mathematics study.
■ In Grade 8, 10 jurisdictions have an average score significantly higher than Ontario’s, 11 jurisdictions have the same average as Ontario’s
and 34 jurisdictions have a significantly lower average.
■ Ontario students performed as well as those in Alberta but not as well as those in Quebec.
■ At the international level, among those participating in both years, there has been little change in the list of jurisdictions outperforming Ontario
on the TIMSS mathematical assessments in 2007 and 2011.
Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study (TIMSS), 2011
Highlights of Ontario Results: Grade 8 Mathematics
TIMSS measures the mathematics and science achievement of students in Grades 4 and 8.
Participation
TIMSS has been administered to Grade 8 students in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Ontario students participated in each assessment.
Grade 8 Mathematics Achievement, Results by Jurisdiction
200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Statistically higher than Ontario
Statistically the same as Ontario
Statistically lower than Ontario
The width of each bar represents the uncertainty due to sampling. There is a 95% probability that the average scale score for each jurisdiction would be within
the corresponding bar 19 times out of 20. The jurisdictions are listed according to the ranking of their scores.
■ TIMSS defines four achievement benchmarks: Advanced, High, Intermediate and Low. Scale scores between 475 and 549 points fall in the
Intermediate benchmark. Scores at or above 625 are Advanced.
Average scale scores and confidence intervals
Korea 613
Singapore
Chinese Taipei
Hong Kong, S.A.R. 586
Japan 570
611
609
Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Minnesota, U.S.A. 545
561
Russian Federation 539
North Carolina, U.S.A.
Quebec, Canada
537
532
Indiana, U.S.A. 522
Colorado, U.S.A. 518
Connecticut, U.S.A. 518
Israel 516
Finland
Florida, U.S.A.
514
513
Ontario, Canada
United States
England
512
509
507
Alberta, Canada
Hungary
Australia
505
505
505
Slovenia 505
Lithuania 502
TIMSS Scale Centrepoint
Italy
500
498
California, U.S.A. 493
New Zealand 488
Kazakhstan 487
Sweden 484
Ukraine 479
Dubai, U.A.E. 478
Norway 475
Armenia 467
Alabama, U.S.A. 466
Romania 458
United Arab Emirates 456
Turkey 452
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 449
Lebanon 449
Malaysia 440
Georgia 431
Thailand
Macedonia, Rep. of
427
426
Tunisia 425
Chile 416
Iran, Islamic Rep. of 415
Qatar 410
Bahrain 409
Jordan 406
Palestinian National Authority 404
Saudi Arabia 394
Indonesia
Syrian Arab Republic
386
380
95% Confidence Interval
Morocco 371
Oman 366
Ghana 331
■ The average scale score in mathematics among Ontario’s Grade 8 students was at the Intermediate benchmark.
■ No participating jurisdiction had an average scale score at the Advanced benchmark.

Average Sc
100
Grade 8 Mathematics, Trends in Achievement (Canadian Provinces)
0
600
Ontario Alberta
556
Quebec
566
Average Scale Score
500
400
300
200
100
0
■ The average scale score for Ontario’s Grade 8 students has increased significantly, from 501 to 512, between 1995 and 2011, but there has
been a significant decline between 2003 and 2011.
■ Results for Quebec and Alberta have declined significantly between 1995 and 2011.
Grade 8 Mathematics, Trends in Achievement (Percentages of Students Reaching or Exceeding
the TIMSS Intermediate Benchmark)
Percentage of Students (%)
Percentage of Students (%)
300
200
100
80
60
40
20
0
100
80
72%
■ The percentage of Ontario 65% Grade 8 students achieving or exceeding the TIMSS Intermediate benchmark has increased significantly, from
65% to 71%, 60 between 1995 and 2011.
75% 74%
71%
69%
1995
1999
■ The percentage of Ontario Grade 8 students reaching or exceeding the Intermediate benchmark in 2011 is significantly larger than the
40
2003
n/a n/a
percentage in 1995, but it is significantly smaller than the percentage in 2003.
■ Results for 20
2007
Alberta and Quebec have declined significantly since 1995.
0
2011
Ontario Alberta Quebec
About TIMSS
501
517 521 517 512
■ TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).
■ A total of 4756 Grade 8 students participated in Ontario.
About EQAO: The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) acts as a catalyst for increasing the success of
Ontario students by measuring their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics against a common curriculum
benchmark. As an independent provincial agency, EQAO plays a pivotal role by conducting province-wide tests at key
points in every student’s primary, junior and secondary education and reporting the results. The objective and reliable facts
obtained add to the current knowledge about student learning and are an important tool for improvement at the individual,
school and provincial levels.
TIMSS_48e_highlights_1212
65%
527
531
n/a n/a
Ontario Alberta Quebec
72% 75% 74%
71%
79% 81%
79% 81%
n/a n/a
n/a
Ontario Alberta Quebec
n/a
505
69%
90% 93%
90% 93%
543
88%
88%
528 532
78% 82%
78% 82%
2003
2007
2011
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
December 2012

■ Fifty-seven jurisdictions participated in the TIMSS Grade 4 science study.
■ In Grade 4, 10 jurisdictions have an average score significantly higher than Ontario’s, 13 jurisdictions have the same average as Ontario’s
and 33 jurisdictions have a significantly lower average.
■ Compared to students in the other participating Canadian provinces, Ontario’s students performed better than those in Quebec and less
well than those in Alberta.
Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study (TIMSS), 2011
Highlights of Ontario Results: Grade 4 Science
TIMSS measures the mathematics and science achievement of students in Grades 4 and 8.
Participation
TIMSS has been administered to Grade 4 students in 1995, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Ontario students participated in each assessment.
Grade 4 Science Achievement, Results by Jurisdiction
Average scale scores and confidence intervals
200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Statistically higher than Ontario
Statistically the same as Ontario
Statistically lower than Ontario
Yemen 209
Morocco
264
Kuwait
Tunisia
*Although the mean score for North Carolina is higher than that for the Czech Republic, it is not significantly higher than the mean score for Ontario.
Note: The width of each bar represents the uncertainty due to sampling. There is a 95% probability that the average scale score for each jurisdiction would
be within the corresponding bar 19 times out of 20. The jurisdictions are listed according to the ranking of their scores.
■ TIMSS defines four achievement benchmarks: Advanced, High, Intermediate and Low. Scale scores between 475 and 549 points fall
in the Intermediate benchmark. Scores at or above 625 are Advanced.
■ The average scale score in science among Ontario’s Grade 4 students was at the Intermediate benchmark.
■ No participating jurisdiction had an average scale score at the Advanced benchmark.
Korea, Rep. of
Singapore
Finland 570
Japan 559
Russian Federation 552
Chinese Taipei 552
Florida, U.S.A. 545
United States 544
Alberta, Canada 541
Czech Republic 536
North Carolina, U.S.A.
Hong Kong, S.A.R.
Hungary
538*
535
534
Sweden
Slovak Republic
533
532
Austria
Netherlands
532
531
England 529
Ontario, Canada 528
Denmark
Germany
528
528
Italy
Portugal
524
522
Slovenia 520
Northern Ireland
Ireland
Croatia
Quebec, Canada
Australia
517
516
516
516
516
Serbia
Lithuania
Belgium (Flemish)
516
515
509
Romania
Spain
505
505
Poland 505
TIMSS Scale Centrepoint 500
New Zealand 497
Kazakhstan 495
Norway 494
Chile 480
Thailand 472
Turkey
Dubai, U.A.E.
Georgia
Iran, Islamic Rep. of
463
461
455
453
Bahrain 449
Malta 446
Azerbaijan 438
Saudi Arabia 429
United Arab Emirates 428
Armenia 416
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 411
Qatar 394
Oman
347
346
377
95% Confidence Interval
587
583

Average Sc
100
Grade 4 Science, Trends in Achievement (Canadian Provinces)
0
600
Ontario
555
Alberta Quebec
Average Scale Score
500
400
300
200
100
0
■ In Grade 4, Ontario results have improved significantly between 1995 and 2011. The 2011 average scale score is significantly higher
than in 1995, but significantly lower than in 2003.
■ In Quebec, the average scale score is significantly lower than in 1995, but it has increased significantly since 2003.
Grade 4 Science, Trends in Achievement (Percentages of Students Reaching or Exceeding
the TIMSS Intermediate Benchmark)
Percentage of Students (%)
Percentage of Students (%)
300
200
100
80
60
40
20
0
100
80 71%
74% 76%
■ The percentage of Ontario Grade 4 students reaching the Intermediate benchmark has risen significantly, 66% from 71% in 1995 to 77% 1995 in 2011.
■ Results for 60Alberta
have remained relatively steady. The percentages for Quebec have fluctuated between a high of 77% in 1995 and 2003 a low
of 66% in 2003.
40
n/a
2007
20
2011
About TIMSS
0
516
■ TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).
Ontario Alberta Quebec
■ A total of 4570 Grade 4 students participated in Ontario.
About EQAO: The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) acts as a catalyst for increasing the success of
Ontario students by measuring their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics against a common curriculum
benchmark. As an independent provincial agency, EQAO plays a pivotal role by conducting province-wide tests at key
points in every student’s primary, junior and secondary education and reporting the results. The objective and reliable facts
obtained add to the current knowledge about student learning and are an important tool for improvement at the individual,
school and provincial levels.
TIMSS_48e_highlights_1212
71%
540 536
543 541
528 529
n/a
500 517 516
Ontario Alberta Quebec
81% 79% 77%
81% 79% 77%
84%
84%
n/a
n/a
82% 83%
Ontario Alberta Quebec
82% 83%
77%
77%
66%
74%
76%
2007
2011
1995
2003
2007
2011
1995
2003
2007
2011
December 2012

■ Fifty-six jurisdictions participated in the TIMSS Grade 8 science study.
■ In Grade 8, 15 jurisdictions have an average score significantly higher than Ontario’s, eight jurisdictions have the same average as Ontario’s
and 32 jurisdictions have a significantly lower average.
Trends in International Mathematics
and Science Study (TIMSS), 2011
Highlights of Ontario Results: Grade 8 Science
TIMSS measures the mathematics and science achievement of students in Grades 4 and 8.
Participation
TIMSS has been administered to Grade 8 students in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. Ontario students participated in each assessment.
Grade 8 Science Achievement, Results by Jurisdiction
Average scale scores and con�dence intervals
250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Statistically higher than Ontario
Statistically the same as Ontario
Statistically lower than Ontario
Ghana
306
*Although the mean score for New Zealand is lower than that for Lithuania, it is not significantly lower than the mean score for Ontario.
Note: The width of each bar represents the uncertainty due to sampling. There is a 95% probability that the average scale score for each jurisdiction would be
within the corresponding bar 19 times out of 20. The jurisdictions are listed according to the ranking of their scores.
■ Ontario students performed the same as those in Quebec and less well than those in Alberta.
■ TIMSS defines four achievement benchmarks: Advanced, High, Intermediate and Low. Scale scores between 475 and 549 points fall
in the Intermediate benchmark. Scores at or above 625 are Advanced.
Singapore 590
Massachusetts, U.S.A. 567
Chinese Taipei 564
Korea, Rep. of 560
Japan 558
Minnesota, U.S.A. 553
Finland 552
Alberta, Canada 546
Slovenia 543
Colorado, U.S.A. 542
Russian Federation 542
Hong Kong, S.A.R. 535
England 533
Indiana, U.S.A. 533
Connecticut, U.S.A. 532
North Carolina, U.S.A. 532
Florida, U.S.A. 530
United States 525
Hungary 522
Ontario, Canada 521
Quebec, Canada 520
Australia 519
Israel 516
New Zealand 512*
Lithuania 514
Sweden 509
Italy 501
Ukraine 501
TIMSS Scale Centrepoint 500
California, U.S.A. 499
Norway 494
Kazakhstan 490
Alabama, U.S.A. 485
Dubai, U.A.E. 485
Turkey 483
Iran, Islamic Rep. of 474
Romania 465
United Arab Emirates 465
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 461
Chile 461
Bahrain 452
Thailand 451
Jordan 449
Tunisia 439
Armenia 437
Saudi Arabia 436
Malaysia 426
Syrian Arab Republic 426
Palestinian Nat’l Auth. 420
Georgia 420
Oman 420
Qatar 419
Macedonia, Rep. of 407
Lebanon 406
Indonesia 406
Morocco 376
■ The average scale score in science among Ontario’s Grade 8 students was at the Intermediate benchmark.
■ No participating jurisdiction had an average scale score at the Advanced benchmark.
95% Con�dence Interval

Average Sc
Grade 8 Science Achievement, Trends in Achievement (Canadian Provinces)
Average Scale Score
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
■ The average scale score for Ontario’s Grade 8 students has increased significantly, from 496 to 521, between 1995 and 2011, but there has
been a significant decline between 2003 and 2011.
■ The average for Quebec has increased significantly since 2007, and Alberta’s average has declined slightly, but not significantly, since 1995.
Grade 8 Science, Trends in Achievement (Percentages of Students Reaching or Exceeding
the TIMSS Intermediate Benchmark)
Percentage of Students (%)
Percentage of Students (%)
300
200
100
0
100
80
60
40
20
0
100
80
72%
76%
■ In 2011, the percentage of Grade 8 students in Ontario reaching the Intermediate benchmark 69% is significantly 68% larger than that on the 1995 first
61%
administration, 60 in 1995.
1999
■ Results for Alberta have been steady, at around 85%.
40
n/a n/a
2003
■ Results for Quebec have been variable over time; they fell significantly from 2003 to 2007, but increased significantly from 2007 to 2011,
even if they 20 remain statistically lower than in 2003.
2007
0
2011
Ontario Alberta Quebec
About TIMSS
496
518 533 526 521
■ TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).
■ A total of 4756 Grade 8 students participated in Ontario.
About EQAO: The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) acts as a catalyst for increasing the success of
Ontario students by measuring their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics against a common curriculum
benchmark. As an independent provincial agency, EQAO plays a pivotal role by conducting province-wide tests at key
points in every student’s primary, junior and secondary education and reporting the results. The objective and reliable facts
obtained add to the current knowledge about student learning and are an important tool for improvement at the individual,
school and provincial levels.
TIMSS_48e_highlights_1212
61%
72%
Ontario Alberta Quebec
550 559
n/a
Ontario Alberta Quebec
81%
81%
77%
77%
76%
76%
n/a
n/a
n/a
546
83% 87% 85%
n/a
Ontario Alberta Quebec
n/a
83% 87% 85%
510
69%
540
83%
83%
531
82%
82%
507
68%
520
76%
2003
2007
2011
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
December 2012