Trends in International PISA Scores Over Time: Which Countries are Actually Improving?

• In Event: 523 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 14. Country-level Variations/ International Research: Session I

Abstract

Utilizing data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), this study seeks to examine which countries experience significant increases in their PISA scores over time and link them to specific mechanisms that facilitate such changes. Using descriptive analyses, we find that only ten countries among those that participated in the 2006, 2009, and 2012 PISA significantly increase their PISA scores between 2006 and 2012. Differences in educational, economic, social, and political characteristics between countries with and without significant increases in PISA scores were mixed. Notably, countries with significant increases were more likely to have had below-average scores in 2006, 2009, and 2012 and significant increases in scores for both low- and high-SES students. They also transitioned more recently to a democratic type of government and higher income classification.

Authors

• Kristie J. Rowley, Brigham Young University

• Shelby McNeill, Brigham Young University

• Jonathan A. Jarvis, Brigham Young University

• Christina Edmunds, Ohio State University

• Florencia Silveira, Brigham Young University