The Second International Survey of Mathematics Achievement: A Case for U. S. Participation

In 1964, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) surveyed mathematics achievement in the schools of 12 countries, including the United States (Hus6n, 1967). Subsequently, surveys were conducted in six other school subjects involving some 23 nations (e.g., Comber Walker, 1976). In the United States, a special issue of JRME was devoted to the IEA mathematics survey (Volume 2, November 1971), and articles on the survey were written for NCTM publications (Willoughby, 1968) as well as for the press. Some countries, Australia for example, prepared national reports on the findings of the survey (Keeves & Radford, 1969). Recently, critiques of the IEA studies (Coleman, 1975) and (Freudenthal, 1975) have generated considerable discussion in some quarters. Interest in taking part in a second international survey of achievement in school mathematics had been expressed by several countries, and in 1974 the IEA Council decided to proceed with such a study. Since that time, about 10 countries have taken the first step toward full commitment to participation, which includes identifying a national committee to oversee the survey and conducting a curriculum analysis for that particular country.