Asian students top math, science, reading tests

Asian school children dominate in reading, math and science, coming in ahead of their peers in Europe and the US, according to an international study released Tuesday.

The tiny city-state of Singapore takes first place in science among 13 and 14 year-olds and math at age 9 or 10, with South Korea scoring nearly as high. Singapore takes second place to South Korea among the older students for math, with Taiwan in third.

The results also lean toward Asian nations when it comes to advanced levels of learning. In Singapore, 4 in 10 teenagers who were tested achieved the ``advanced benchmark'' in science, which requires an understanding of complex and abstract concepts in physics, chemistry, biology and other sciences. About 2 in 10 make the grade in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. In the US, it's about 1 in 10.

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and its sister test, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, are used to measure knowledge, skills and mastery of curricula by elementary and middle school students around the world. Students in rich, industrialized nations and poor, developing countries alike are tested. In 2011, 56 educational systems took part in math and science exams. Fifty-three systems participated in the reading exam.

The study is conducted every four years in nations around the world.