International Excellence Gaps: Evidence from International Assessments

A recent study in the United Sates (Plucker, Burroughs, & Song, 2010) provided evidence that gaps between high achieving students from certain demographic groups (excellence gaps) continue to grow over time. We extend this research using an international approach and a multilevel model for change to examine trends in excellence gaps over time with specific emphasis on gender and immigrant status of the student. At an international level, gender-based findings are encouraging. Specifically, we found evidence in favor of shrinking gender-based excellence gaps in both science and mathematics. With respect to immigrant status and excellence gaps, most of the surveyed countries showed few if any differences over time in the proportion of high achievers born in or outside of the country of the test. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.