The Relationships of Socioeconomic Factors and Special Education with Reading Outcomes across PISA Countries

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the multivariate relationships among socioeconomic factors, special education coverage (SEC), and reading across countries participating in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Three socioeconomic factors were considered: (a) gross national income per capita, (b) income inequality via the Gini index, and (c) female adult literacy. Two education outcomes were examined: (a) school life expectancy (SLE), and (b) reading performance in the PISA 2009 and 2010 assessments. A structural equation model linking socioeconomic factors, education context factors, and SEC to reading and SLE was tested on 67 PISA countries. The model accounted for 63% of the variance in SEC, 71% of the variance in SLE, and 80% of the variance in reading performance. Special education coverage contributed significantly to SLE and reading. The roles of national economy and special education coverage in predicting reading are discussed.