PISA 2009

What is PISA?

PISA stands for Programme for International Student Assessment. It is an international study that measures the abilities of 15-year-olds from over 60 countries or economies in reading, mathematics, and science. The first three PISA surveys each focused on a particular subject area: reading (in 2000), mathematics (in 2003) and science (in 2006). In its fourth cycle, the focus will be back on reading as the primary assessment domain.

What will students be asked to do?

In April and May 2009, about 22,000 students from 1,000 schools across Canada will be participating in both English and French in the 4th Cycle of PISA.

• A number of students from each selected school have been randomly selected to write a two-hour written test in reading, mathematics and science and to respond to 60-minute questionnaire that collects background information about their school, their interests, their experiences at school and work (such as extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and summer employment), and their family (such as parental occupation, and parental involvement in the education of their youth).
• The information collected will be kept strictly confidential.

Do students need to prepare for the test session?

No. Students do not need to prepare for this study. During the test session, they will be asked to answer all the questions to the best of their ability. They will not have access to external resources or reference materials.

Will the results affect the student’s school record?

No. Students’ results will not affect their academic record as the results will be used for research purposes only. However, the results are critical in shaping the profile of Canadian 15-year-olds.

Who is interested in this information?

Those responsible for education want to know whether youth are acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of the future. Information obtained from provincial, Canadian and international measures helps us understand the achievement of students.
The results of PISA 2009 will be released in December 2010 (www.pisa.gc.ca).

How were the students chosen?

About 1,000 schools were randomly selected to represent Canada. Within these schools, a sample of students aged 15 has been randomly selected to take part in the study.

Who is conducting the study?

PISA is being directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In Canada, PISA is carried out through a partnership of the following organizations:

• the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC),
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), and
• Statistics Canada (STC).