The Trends in International
Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international
assessment of fourth and eighth grade students’ achievement in
mathematics and science. Since its inception in 1995, TIMSS has
continued to assess students every 4 years, with the next TIMSS
assessment, TIMSS 2019, being the seventh iteration of the study.
TIMSS provides a comparison of U.S. student performance with those
of their international peers in mathematics and science at grades 4
and 8. TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for
the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international
collective of research organizations and government agencies that
creates the assessment framework, assessments, and background
questionnaires and provides procedures and technical standards
which all countries must follow. In the U.S., the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts TIMSS. In preparation for
the TIMSS 2019 main study, NCES conducted a field test in 2018 to
evaluate new assessment items and background questions, to ensure
practices that promote low exclusion rates, and to ensure that
classroom and student sampling procedures proposed for the main
study are successful. The request for the TIMSS 2019 Main Study
recruitment & Field Test was approved in July 2017 with the
latest change request approved in July 2018 (OMB# 1850-0695
v.10-13). The U.S. TIMSS 2019 main study recruitment began in May
2018, and data collection is scheduled to take place from April
through May 2019. This request is to conduct the TIMSS 2019 Main
Study. TIMSS 2019 results will be posted on NCES website.
US Code:
20
USC 9543 Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act
The apparent increase in burden
from the last approval is due to the fact that the last request was
to conduct the TIMSS 2019 field test in 2018 and to recruit schools
and communicate with districts and parents in preparation for the
TIMSS 2019 main study, while this request is to conduct the TIMSS
2019 main study, including all recruitment and data collection
activities.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.