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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BELLEVUE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION TO FUND RENOWNED MATH AND SCIENCE ASSESSMENT
FOR BELLEVUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Anonymous donor provides funds to BSF to finance first phase of
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for BSD
BELLEVUE, Wash., MAY 27, 2003. -- An anonymous donor has provided the funds necessary to allow the Bellevue Schools
Foundation (BSF) to finance the first phase of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for
the Bellevue School District (BSD). TIMSS (http://nces.ed.gov/timss) is an
internationally renowned and rigorous assessment of students' mathematics and science achievement, allowing a
school district to compare its students' results with data from same age children across the globe.
The goal of the TIMSS project is raising the Bellevue School District's math and science curriculum to an international
standard, according to the district.
"We are already very pleased with both our math and science programs and think they are among the best in the state,
but what we're interested in doing next is establishing programs that are among the best in the world," said Dr. Michael Riley,
superintendent of the Bellevue School District. "The TIMSS project will provide a sophisticated analysis of our present
programs through a comparison with the world's best, and then we'll use the information to begin the refinement of
our curriculum."
First conducted in 1995 and again in 1999, TIMSS has assessed math and science achievement in over 38 countries,
including the United States. Its results showed that while American fourth graders were competitive with fourth
graders around the world in mathematics and science, by the eighth and twelfth grades U.S. students had fallen
significantly behind.
TIMSS research revealed that math content taught in American schools is not very demanding by international standards,
highly repetitive, incoherent and unfocused. The U.S. ranked 18th out of 38 in science and 19th out of 38 in mathematics.
"In this increasing global economy and community, our children will be competing for jobs not only against other
Americans but against the best and brightest from around the world, and we must prepare them for that," said Sherry Ladd,
executive director, BSF.
Bellevue is among just a handful of school districts or territories that are conducting the TIMSS assessment individually;
as typically, the study is done on a national basis.
The first phase of the TIMSS is the most expensive and vital piece, as it covers the testing portion of the study.
Students in grades 3 to 12 will participate in a short evaluation in June. This will provide the district with the
results and analysis early in the 2003-04 school year. The analysis will show areas that need attention, the
implementation of which will be the next phase of the initiative.
"Next year will now provide a wonderful opportunity for both program improvement and professional development,
and we all know this will lead to great benefits for our kids," said Dr. Riley.
Bellevue Schools Foundation decided to seek private funding for the TIMSS as part of its support for the
district's philosophy that high expectations lead to high achievement. The district did not have funds in its
budget to cover this study, and no funding was available from the State to finance such an extensive project.
"As an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to helping provide educational excellence for all
Bellevue public school students, BSF found that the TIMSS project absolutely fit within our mission as well as
the goals of the Bellevue School District," Ladd added.
For more information, contact the Bellevue Schools Foundation at info@bsfdn.org or 425-456-4199.
About the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)
The Bellevue Schools Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that helps fund academic excellence
for every student in the Bellevue School District. Uniquely, BSF works in partnership with the Bellevue School District,
the Parent-Teacher-Student Associations and school educators and administrators. Founded in 1979, BSF was created by a
concerned group of parents and community leaders, who wanted to ensure quality education for Bellevue's children despite
the economic challenges facing the school district. Each year, BSF funds help bridge the gap between state funding
and schools' budgets and programs needs. In 2002-2003, BSF raised nearly $1 million, which funded programs in science,
math, reading, the arts, mentoring and other initiatives for some 15,000 students across all grades and schools. As a
non-profit organization, BSF depends on its thousands of individual and corporate donors to bring private money into
public schools.
About TIMSS (http://nces.ed.gov/timss/)
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS, formerly known as the Third International Mathematics
and Science Study) resulted from the American education community's need for reliable and timely data on the
mathematics and science achievement of our students compared to that of students in other countries.
TIMSS is the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment of its kind ever undertaken. Offered in 1995, 1999,
and planned for 2003, TIMSS provides trend data on students' mathematics and science achievement from an
international perspective.
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Media Contact:
BSF
Margaret Dawson
The Silver Company (for Bellevue Schools Foundation)
Tel: 206-624-0388
Cel: 206-355-6872
margaret@thesilvercompany.com
or
Bellevue School District
Ann Oxrieder
Tel: 425-456-4127
Email: oxriedera@bsd405.org
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Last updated Wednesday, March 17th, 2004.
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