What is the Programme for International Student Assessment?
What are its objectives?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a project of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) designed to provide policy-oriented international indicators of the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. Three literacy domains are being assessed in PISA: Reading, Mathematics, and Science (More details on each domain are provided in the section on PISA Domains). Three cycles of PISA are planned. In each cycle, two-thirds of testing time will be devoted to a major literacy domain: Reading in 2000, Mathematics in 2003, and Science in 2006.

PISA aims to assess to what degree students approaching the end of their compulsory education have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in society. PISA hopes to answer the following questions:

• How well are young adults prepared to meet the challenges of the future?
• Are they able to analyse, reason and communicate their ideas effectively?
• Do they have the capacity to continue learning throughout life?
• Are some kinds of teaching and school organization more effective than others?

PISA Partners

A consortium of international organizations is carrying out the project under the auspices of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the PISA Governing Board. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) heads the consortium that also includes the following organizations:

• Westat Inc, USA;
• National Institute for Educational Research (NIER), Japan;
• Educational Testing Service (ETS), USA;
• Netherlands National Institute for Educational Measurement (CITO); and

In Canada PISA is carried out through a partnership of the following organizations:

• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC);
• Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC);
• Statistics Canada ; and
• Provincial Ministries and Departments of Education.

PISA Contacts

For further information on PISA, contact the following people.

At Human Resources and Skills Development Canada:
Client Services
Learning Policy Directorate
Strategic Policy and Planning
140 Promenade du Portage
Phase IV, 3^rd Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0J9
Tel.: (819) 994-4566
Fax: (819) 997-5433
E-mail: NC-SP-PS-LPDR-DGPAR-GD

At the Council of Minister of Education, Canada (CMEC):
Dianne Pennock
Coordinator of Assessment
Council of Ministers of Education, Canada
95 St-Clair Avenue West, Suite 1106
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4V 1N6
Tel: (416) 962-8100 ext. 240
Fax: (416) 962-2800
E-mail address: D.Pennock@cmec.ca

At Statistics Canada:
Client Services
Culture Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics
Main Building, Room 2001
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0T6
Tel: (613) 951-7608
Fax: (613) 951-9040
Toll free: 1-800-307-3382
educationstats@statcan.ca