The Public and International Assessments

• In Event: What Does It Mean? The Role of Assessment and Data in Public Opinion

Abstract

One of the rationales for conducting international large-scale assessments (ILSA) is to inform the public about the quality of education. However, we know very little about the extent to which this rationale is fulfilled. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by presenting the results of our public opinion survey from 21 countries. First, respondents question the accuracy of ILSA and their role in improving schools, nevertheless they support these assessments. Second, respondents report low engagement with news stories about ILSA and are not well informed about the performance of students in their country. Third, respondents’ knowledge of ILSA results is associated with confidence in education, but not with attitudes toward public spending on education.

Authors

• Linh Nguyet Doan, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Oren Pizmony Levy, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Erika Kessler, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Carmona Jonathan, Teachers College, Columbia University