Dive Brief:
- Analysis by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that between 2003 and 2012, the U.S. had no changes in the amount of low-performing students for math and reading.
- In math, 26% of 15-year-olds were considered low-performing, 17% performed low in reading, and 18% were low-performing in science. OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher called the 6% increase in science performance between 2003 and 2012 puzzling.
- The Russian Federation, Brazil, Mexico, and six other countries showed marked improvement among their low-performing students.
Dive Insight:
The OECD found that per-pupil spending wasn't as strictly tied to performance. The amount spent per-pupil didn't matter as much as the fair and equitable distribution of resources and existing money.
It's unclear as of yet how this study might impact the education reform movement. With the growing unpopularity of standardized testing and an official rollback by the federal government now allowing states to scale back their testing programs, accountability is a hot topic.
In terms of solutions, the report offered a look at what was working. The OECD found that students who engaged in 6-7 hours of homework each week produced better results in math. Participation in related extracurricular activities was also shown to help boost performance.