Contents
Data Sources and Methodology 2
Interpreting Score Gaps 3
STUDY QUESTION 1: In 2015, did the percentage of 15-year-olds who expected to have a health or STEM career vary by student demographic characteristics? 5
STUDY QUESTION 2: In 2015, were there science achievement differences between students expecting health or STEM careers and students expecting nonscience careers? 7
STUDY QUESTION 3: In 2015, among only those students expecting health or STEM careers, were there science achievement differences by student demographic characteristics? 10
Methodology and Technical Notes 13
References 17
Appendix A: Classification of Occupations 18
Appendix B: Tables 21
FIGURE 1. Distribution of U.S. students' scores on the PISA science literacy assessment: 2015 3
FIGURE 2. Percentage of U.S. 15-year-old students expecting careers in STEM, health, and nonscience fields, by demographic characteristics: 2015 5
FIGURE 3. Average science literacy scores and score gaps between U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of health or STEM careers and those with expectations of nonscience... 7
FIGURE 4. Average science literacy scores and score gaps between U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of health careers and those with expectations of nonscience careers,... 8
FIGURE 5. Average science literacy scores and score gaps between U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of STEM careers and those with expectations of nonscience careers,... 9
FIGURE 6. Average science literacy scores and score gaps of U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of health or STEM careers, by demographic characteristics: 2015 10
FIGURE 7. Average science literacy scores and score gaps of U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of health careers, by demographic characteristics: 2015 11
FIGURE 8. Average science literacy scores and score gaps of U.S. 15-year-old students with expectations of STEM careers, by demographic characteristics: 2015 12
Table A-1. Distribution of U.S. students' scores on the PISA science literacy assessment: 2015 21
Table A-2. Percentage of U.S. 15-year-olds expecting careers in health, STEM, and nonscience fields, by type of field and demographic characteristics: 2015 22
Table A-3. Average science scores of U.S. 15-year-olds expecting careers in health, STEM, and nonscience fields, by type of field and demographic characteristics: 2015 23