MHTC, Business Leaders Praise BOE Support for Math/Science Education

For Immediate Release:
CONTACT: Cort Boulanger
(339) 222-2442

August 15, 2006

MHTC, Business Leaders Praise BOE Support for Math/Science Education
Vote for TIMSS Opens Pathway to Compete in Global Workforce

Members of the state’s technology and business communities today hailed the vote of the state Board of Education (BOE) for the Commonwealth to participate in a competitive review to benchmark Massachusetts against the world in math and science education.

“The state’s diverse technology economy is propelled by our skilled workforce, but for that to continue we need to compete with surging international technology competitors,” said Massachusetts High Technology Council (MHTC) President Christopher Anderson, who serves on the BOE.  “Today’s decision shows that the board and Commissioner Driscoll are committed to Massachusetts becoming the global leader in math and science education.”

The BOE vote directed the Department of Education to enroll Massachusetts in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) program, which will benchmark the achievement of Massachusetts students against their peers in other countries.  TIMSS, which is run by the Boston College School of Education, measures achievement of 9-and 13-year olds worldwide in math and science, and also conducts a comprehensive study of international teaching methods.

Massachusetts has not participated in benchmarking since the 1999 TIMSS, when the state was ranked 17th in the world behind Korea and Singapore and other technology competitors. International testing conducted in 2003 found American students ranked 25th out of 41 industrialized countries in math and science.  Massachusetts students rank first nationwide in a variety of educational standards, but state business leaders have argued that Massachusetts schools must not just outperform our national competitors but also those from across the globe.

“Massachusetts students lead the nation, but we still trail too much of the world,” said Mass Insight CEO William Guenther.  “Participating in TIMSS will help us formulate a new goal that is at the heart of the Great Schools Campaign:  to make Massachusetts students world class in math and science."

In June, business leaders from MHTC and the Great Schools Campaign, including Analog Devices Chairman Ray Stata and Genzyme Chairman and CEO Henri Termeer, wrote a letter urging the Legislature to appropriate funds for the state to participate in TIMSS. In his budget recommendations in January, Gov. Romney proposed a $600,000 appropriation for TIMSS.  The vote of the BOE comes after the close of the year’s legislative session and just months before TIMSS researchers initiate the study.

“The future of our state’s economy depends on how well we perform against our world competitors in math and science education,” said Gary DiCamillo, President & CEO, American Crystal, Inc., Chair, Massachusetts Business Roundtable Education Task Force.  “TIMSS will give us the blueprint for how to better prepare our students to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.”