Programme for International Student Assessment
Worldwide study of 15-year-old student performance in key subjects.
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations. It evaluates educational systems by measuring 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading, first performed in 2000 and repeated every three years. Its aim is to provide comparable data to enable countries to improve their education policies and outcomes, measuring problem solving and cognition.
- field
- International educational assessment
- conducted_by
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- first_performed
- 2000
- frequency
- Every three years
- subjects_assessed
- Mathematics, science, reading
- target_population
- 15-year-old school pupils
- latest_results_released
- December 2023 (2022 data collection)
Lore & Background
PISA was conceived to set national monitoring of education system performance within a common, internationally agreed framework. By investigating relationships between student learning and other factors, it offers insights into sources of variation in performances within and between countries. Until the 1990s, few European countries used national tests; by 2009, only five European education systems had no national student assessments, a shift partly influenced by PISA and similar assessments.
Reader's Guide
PISA has significantly influenced educational policy at national and international levels. Its data have generated new knowledge, challenging practices such as early tracking of students into vocational or academic pathways. PISA is integrated into national policies on assessment, curriculum standards, and performance targets, and its frameworks are used as best-practice models. However, its impact varies: in Germany, the first results caused a 'PISA shock' leading to common national standards, while in Hungary similar conditions did not produce significant policy changes. Critics argue participation can lead to undesirable outcomes like curriculum narrowing. PISA data are often used selectively in public discourse, with governments focusing on rankings rather than detailed analyses, and sometimes to justify reforms unconnected to the data. The OECD, as the commissioning body, has gained influence as an international education monitor, raising questions about whether PISA data are robust enough for major policy decisions.
Did You Know?
- PISA was first performed in 2000 and is repeated every three years.
- The results of the 2022 data collection were released in December 2023.
- In Germany, the first PISA assessment caused a 'PISA shock' that led to agreement on common national standards across all Länder.
- PISA data have been used in Portugal to justify new teacher assessment arrangements based on inferences not justified by the assessments themselves.
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