American students performed a little better on the latest round of global
science and math tests, but still lag students in nearly half the countries that
gave the uniform quiz-including Australia, Canada and several European and Asian
nations.

Although U.S. eighth-graders last year tested better than eighth-graders four
years earlier, American children appeared to decline in comparison to foreign
students as they moved through the school system. Fourth-graders from 1995
scored above the average of other nations tested; eighth-graders last year
scored below that average.

The report showed prosperous Asian nations such as Japan and Singapore topping
most categories over wealthy nations on other continents. Developed countries
stagnated on boosting the share of students that reached top levels, the scores
indicated.

Education officials around the globe reacted Tuesday.

"The study shows a certain tiredness of school systems in developed countries,
whereas schools in emerging countries are more lively," said Benedetto
Vertecchi, head of the institute that conducted the research in Italy.

Lamented Indonesian education official Herwindo Haribowo: " We used to be better
than the Vietnamese, but now they have overtaken us."

Explained England schools minister Estelle Morris: "The fact is that until 1998,
too many of our primary schools did not teach maths well and teachers were not
comfortable with the teaching of maths."

U.S. test-takers last year were bested by Canada, Australia, Taiwan, the Flemish
part of Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, the
Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Eight nations did about the same as the United
States, and American children did better than those in 17 other countries.

With the average performance for all of the nations set around 500, math scores
ranged from 604 in Singapore to 275 in South Africa; science scores ranged from
569 in Taiwan to 243 in South Africa. The U.S. score was 502 in math; 515 in
science.

Comparable U.S. scores in the 1995 test were 492 for math, 513 for science.

The International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement
organized the testing that was funded and conducted by individual education
authorities. The study on the test results, called the Third International
Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat, cost an estimated $50 million, financed by
the World Bank and participating governments.

Students were tested on algebra, geometry, physics, chemistry and other topics
they would have been expected to have covered at their grade level.

Questions were translated into each country's language. Some questions went
well beyond simple math and science knowledge, requiring detailed calculations
or explanations.

Researchers asked children and teachers about homework, lessons, study habits
and teacher credentials. U.S. children spent more time on computers and using
tools like calculators and workbooks than their peers elsewhere. At the same
time, they did less homework.

France and Germany were the only major industrialized nations that didn't
participate. The tests, which all nations were invited to give, drew three
African countries, Middle Eastern states including Jordan and Iran, several
European countries and a lone South American nation, Chile.

U.S. business and education leaders criticized what they consider a lack of
follow-through on plans developed after the 1995 tests.

"We've gotten the message. We just haven't taken it to the classroom level,"
said Christopher Cross of the Council on Basic Education, a nonprofit advocacy
group in Washington.

Edward B. Rust Jr., chief executive officer of State Farm Insurance and head of
a group of U.S. business leaders interested in education, said, "The rest of the
world will not stand still while we work to implement these reforms."