WASHINGTON - U.S. officials have found that high school is hurting students. A recent study shows that the longer children stay in school, the worse they are at learning core subjects. In addition, the Test of International Mathematics and Science Mastery (TIMMS) shows that American students are significantly behind their peers in Europe and Asia.

The test's organizers - teachers from the International Learning Center at Boston College - compared the results of schoolchildren from the United States and other countries and found that American eighth-graders are at a level slightly above the world average. Last year, Americans received a score of 502 on a 1,000-point scale in mathematics and 515 in natural sciences. The world average was lower - 487 and 488 points, respectively.

The best results were demonstrated by schoolchildren from Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Results above average were also shown by eighth-graders from the Netherlands, Canada, Russia and Australia. In the field of natural sciences, Hungarians performed on par with the best Asian schoolchildren.

On math exams, Americans scored above average on problems involving fractions, algebra, calculus, and probability. They fared much worse on geometry. Americans scored above average on all science subjects.

Similar tests were conducted in 1995. At that time, fourth, eighth and twelfth grade students participated. It is noteworthy that the higher the grades were assessed, the lower the scores of Americans were compared to students in other countries. In 1999, only eighth graders were examined. Over four years, the level of knowledge of black students in the United States increased, while that of white students remained the same.

It should be taken into account that the global results in 1999 were influenced by students from developing countries (Philippines, Morocco, Chile and Indonesia), who had not previously participated in TIMMS. The level of these students was much lower than average. At the same time, some European countries refused to participate in TIMMS. In particular, the representatives of Germany in 1995 showed a result at the level of the Americans and did not want to disgrace themselves again. And the French last time answered the questions in mathematics very well and worse in other sciences and, ashamed of such a ratio, also decided not to take the exam again.

If we look at only the countries that took the exams in both 1995 and 1999, the world average last year was 524 in math and science, putting Americans below average, reflecting shortcomings in the nation's education system. Among those shortcomings is a chronic shortage of math teachers. (WSJ, 12/6/2000)

American schoolchildren are C students