The Second International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP) will assess the mathematics and science achievement of 13-year-olds in 20 countries. Most of these countries will participate in an optional geography probe and about two-thirds will participate in an experimental performance assessment for 13-year-olds. A third option, a 9- year-old assessment of mathematics and science, will be implemented by about two-thirds of the participants. In addition to the cognitive assessment, background information will be collected from students and school administrators. Representative samples of about 2,000 students from about 100 schools will be drawn at each age. The assessment will be administered using standard procedures in March, 1991 (or in September, 1990 for countries which follow a March through December school schedule). The results will be reported in March, 1992, one year after data collection.
