Perceptions of key education actors towards PISA: the case of Scotland

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the perceptions of government officials, teachers, and parents in Scotland regarding the use of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results to evaluate national education performance. International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) such as PISA have been increasingly influencing education policymaking worldwide, but there is limited understanding of how education actors perceive these assessments. This study uses Scotland’s recent declining performance in PISA after the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) reform in 2010 as a case study. Interviews with key officials involved in implementing the CfE, and parents’ and teachers’ representatives reveal their doubts about the validity of PISA as a means of assessing Scottish education performance. This is because PISA data lack comparability and accountability, as students’ academic performance is not impacted by PISA scores and teacher evaluations are not based on them. They do not consider that the PISA results reflect the effects of the CfE reform. These views contradict the Scottish government policy that PISA, among other assessments, is meant to inform policymakers and evaluate reform effects. Our findings have implications for countries that routinely use PISA to assess their educational performance and do not consider the views of education actors.