Exploring the factors that influence grade 8 mathematics achievement in the netherlands, belgium flanders and germany: Results of secondary analysis on TIMSS 1995 data

Since 1964, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) has organized several international comparative achievement studies in different core subjects, such as mathematics, science and reading. IEA recognizes two main goals of its achievement studies (Plomp, 1998): 1. to provide policy-makers and educational practitioners with information about the quality of their education system in relation to relevant reference systems; 2. to assist in understanding the reasons for observed differences between education systems