There are many studies that measure the achievement of U.S. high school students in the sciences and geography. Research shows that American students are increasing their enrollment in science and geography disciplines, but still lack sufficient levels of accomplishment in these areas. The findings listed below are culled from reports from the U. S. Department of Education and the American Institute of Physics.

• Sixteen percent of high school seniors ranked "advanced" in the sciences, but the majority rank "below basic" (47 percent).

• In 2000, 29 percent of fourth graders, 32 percent of eighth graders, and 18 percent of twelfth graders performed at or above the proficient level in general science classes.

• The countries Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Hungary, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia all boast significantly higher average scores in science than U.S. students, according to an international study comparing eighth graders around the world.

• The American Institute of Physics reports that more than 800,000 high school students take physics each year. Proportionally, this is the highest level since the post-World War II era. Over the past decade, the percentage of high schoolers who take physics has increased from 20 percent to 28 percent.

• Participation in high school physics differs dramatically by race, although every race enjoyed increases in physics enrollment. From 1990 to 1997, Asian Pacific American students gained increased enrollment in physics from 34 to 44 percent; white students increased from 24 to 32 percent; African-American students from 10 to 16 percent; and Latino/a students increased from 10 to 15 percent.

• According to the National Center for Education Statistics' "Geography Report Card," the majority of 12th-graders are at or above basic geography achievement levels. Twenty-five percent are at or above proficient and 29 percent rank below basic. This statistic remains virtually unchanged since 1994. The most significant increase was the basic skill level, which increased from 43 to 47 percent.

• Between 1994 and 2001, female students have increased their knowledge of geography scores, while male students have dipped slightly. However, male scores remain higher than female in grades 4, 8, & 12.
  

DID YOU KNOW?

• A third of high school physics teachers have either an undergraduate or graduate degree in physics.

• Female students make up 47 percent of total enrollment in high school physics classes, compared to 39 percent in 1987.

• Ninety-six percent of high school physics teachers are white.

• For overall performance in science, males and females had similar scores in 12th grade in 2000, compared to higher scores recorded by males in elementary and middle school.

• In one study, one in three fourth graders could not identify where they lived on a map.

• U.S. students have improved their knowledge of geography since 1994. However, only one in four high school seniors were found to be proficient in the subject.