2016 National Assessment of Mathematics in Primary Education in Flanders

In 2016 a national assessment was carried out, which was commissioned by the Flemish government, to assess whether pupils have achieved the attainment targets for mathematics at the end of primary education. This assessment is a reiteration of the national assessments on mathematics in 2002 and 2009. Data were collected through 13 written tests. A representative sample of 5421 pupils from 190 Flemish primary schools participated. In addition, a performance assesment was administered, consisting of two assignments: the first assignment assessed several attainment targets related to estimation and measuring, and the second assignment focused on spatial orientation. A subsample of five students per site participated in this practical test: 532 students completed the first assignment and 525 students completed the second assignment. Tests were supplemented with background questionnaires for pupils, parents and teachers. These questionnaires collected, among other things, information on background characteristics of the pupils and their families, attitudes of the pupils and their parents toward mathematics, and classroom practices. The response rates to these questionnaires were 99% for pupils and 96% for parents. Teachers were able to complete part of the questionnaire online. For this online part, the response rate was 93%. For the paper part, the response rate was 94%.