Results of longitudinal TIMSS survey
The first student-level, longitudinal extension of TIMSS, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study administered through a Boston College center, offers promising results: All nine participating national education systems showed growth in those fundamental subjects between 2023 and 2024.
Although growth rates across education systems varied, the study, “TIMSS 2023 Longitudinal,” confirmed that all country-wide institutions demonstrated measurable gains in student learning over a single school year.
While previous TIMSS investigations broadly identified where students as a whole stand in the learning process, this research directly tracked students’ development and examined how they learn. [Read the full report here.]
Matthias von Davier (Lee Pellegrini)
“This isn't just a snapshot; it's a movie of student progress,” said Matthias von Davier, executive director of the TIMSS & PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) International Study Center in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. “We see that all systems produce growth, but the pace varies. More importantly, we can now identify the specific supports—from a resource-rich home to a safe and supportive school—that help students thrive.”
TIMSS and PIRLS, two of the flagship surveys funded by the Amsterdam-based International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), have been conducted by the International Study Center in more than 60 countries since the TIMSS 1995 cycle.
In 2024, participating national education systems re-administered the TIMSS 2023 mathematics and science assessment to the same sample of students evaluated the prior academic year; nine education systems participated in grades 4 and 5, and three of these also participated in grades 8 and 9. By administering the TIMSS 2023 mathematics and science assessment to the identical students, the study provided unprecedented insights into learning gains and the factors associated with academic growth.
The more gradual gains in grades 8 and 9 are evident when compared to the more substantial progress made between grades 4 and 5 observed among systems that showed the most growth in the lower grades. This pattern aligns with the understanding that cognitive development progresses more gradually during adolescence than in earlier childhood. While most students showed substantial achievement gains, some experienced more modest or even very little change.
The varied growth trajectories of students, and the variation in learning gains between education systems, highlights the importance of examining contextual factors that are related to rate of growth, according to the researchers. Participants in the TIMSS 2023 Longitudinal also re-administered context questionnaires to students, parents, principals, and teachers, allowing for exploration of these influences.
“Understanding what fosters student growth is key to building more effective and equitable education systems,” said Dirk Hastedt, executive director of the IEA, an independent, international cooperative of national and governmental research institutions, scholars, and analysts. “This longitudinal data provides powerful, actionable evidence for policymakers and educators worldwide. We commend participants and believe their efforts will prove extremely beneficial in their work to improve national education outcomes in a uniquely informed way.”
"Boston College and the Lynch School are proud to host the crucial research undertaken at the International Study Center,” said Stanton E. F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan Dean of the Lynch School. “Our colleagues' work represents the most comprehensive data and the most rigorous analysis available anywhere, giving us insight into crucial trends in education around the world.”
Among the noteworthy associations with achievement and gains in learning:
•Home resources matter, especially for younger students. In most of the nine participating education systems, students in grades 4 and 5 with more educational resources at home showed greater growth in mathematics.
•Students who demonstrated higher growth in achievement across one school year also tended to report a higher sense of well-being than their peers who showed less growth.
•Across all education systems and grade levels, students who reported frequent bullying showed less growth and lower average scores in mathematics and science. While most students did not report frequent bullying, the findings show that when it does happen, it tends to undermine learning.
•Students who reported they were often absent from school showed less growth and lower achievement in both mathematics and science. Absence from school more than once a month in grade 5 was found to be detrimental to growth in eight of nine participating education systems.
•Across all nine education systems, the percentage of students reporting very positive attitudes toward each subject dropped between grade 4 and grade 5. While no reason is given for this shift, it highlights an important trend and calls for further investigation of how students express their engagement with these subjects and how it evolves over time.
The TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center is currently conducting additional research that provides more comprehensive statistical analyses of how multiple contextual factors jointly affect learning over time. The TIMSS Longitudinal International Database will be released by the center on February 12.