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The Condition of Education 1996, Supplemental Table 24-2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average proficiency scores Percentile scores -------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Country Total Male Female 1st 5th 10th Median 90th 95th 99th ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comprehensive populations Canada\1\ 533 539 527 384 434 460 534 606 628 670 France 532 540 524 370 417 442 534 611 639 677 Hungary 553 563 544 386 436 467 555 639 665 717 Ireland 510 521 499 334 391 418 511 594 616 668 Israel\2\ 534 543 527 379 426 449 536 614 635 676 Italy, Emilia-Romagna\3\ 537 545 529 384 432 459 538 612 632 672 Jordan 473 475 470 292 342 375 480 557 584 628 South Korea 571 580 559 395 457 490 575 648 670 710 Scotland\3\ 530 535 525 363 416 441 532 611 631 674 Slovenia 537 544 530 398 434 461 539 615 638 671 Soviet Union\4\ 541 546 535 383 438 465 545 612 629 661 Spain\5\ 525 531 519 380 428 453 524 596 617 663 Switzerland\6\ 562 573 551 408 467 491 566 637 662 701 Taiwan 563 567 560 339 420 463 572 655 673 715 United States\3\ 521 530 513 334 410 436 523 601 627 665 Populations with exclusions or low participation Brazil, Fortaleza\7\ 426 439 416 279 313 333 425 520 542 589 Brazil, Sao Paulo\8\ 454 469 442 305 333 354 454 545 578 629 China\9\ 526 535 517 355 411 439 528 608 638 683 England\10\ 532 537 528 358 415 443 535 615 639 685 Portugal\3,7\ 506 517 497 339 391 418 509 589 614 654 Canadian populations Alberta 554 564 544 407 456 483 556 624 643 683 British Columbia 548 552 545 407 453 479 552 613 636 676 Manitoba-English 531 536 525 356 417 445 533 611 634 671 Manitoba-French 522 533 514 359 426 449 524 594 613 652 New Brunswick-English 521 527 515 344 406 441 525 597 616 657 New Brunswick-French 510 511 509 354 399 430 513 585 607 650 Newfoundland 521 530 512 361 413 441 522 601 624 663 Nova Scotia 532 537 527 364 428 453 534 609 631 668 Ontario-English 526 531 520 378 426 453 526 595 622 669 Ontario-French 497 503 491 345 401 422 496 572 590 630 Quebec-English\3\ 535 543 528 386 436 463 536 611 637 675 Quebec-French 544 551 536 403 449 475 543 614 638 675 Saskatchewan-English 538 544 531 379 435 464 540 611 635 676 Saskatchewan-French 517 521 513 380 440 460 513 585 608 639 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1\ Nine out of 10 provinces.
2\ Hebrew-speaking schools.
3\ Combined school and student participation rate is below .80 but at least .70; interpret results with caution because of possible nonresponse bias.
4\ Fourteen out of 15 republics in the former Soviet Union; Russian-speaking schools.
5\ Regions except Cataluna; Spanish-speaking schools.
6\ Fifteen out of 26 cantons.
7\ In-school population, restricted grades.
8\ Restricted grades.
9\ Twenty out of 29 provinces and independent cities; in-school population, restricted grades.
10\ Combined school and student participation rate is below .70; interpret results with extreme caution because of possible nonresponse bias.
SOURCE: Educational Testing Service, International Assessment of Educational Progress, 1992.