Strong Performers and
Successful Reformers
in Education
LESSONS FROM PISA 2012 FOR THE UNITED STATES
%)) OECD
BETTER POLICIES FOR BETTER LIVES
Tgble of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
Key findings from PISA 7
Strengths and weaknesses in mathematics 8
Relationship with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 9
CHARTER 1 PISA AS A YARDSTICK FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS 11
Situating PISA as a yardstick for educational success 12
Structure of this report 13
Whatis PISA? 14
What does the PISA 2012 survey measure? 14
Reporting results from PISA 2012 16
CHARTER 2 VIEWING THE UNITED STATES SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH THE PRISM OF PISA 2012 19
Learning outcomes 20
Equity in the distribution of learning opportunities 26
The cost of the achievement gap 33
The learning environment in the classroom and at school 33
How schooling is organized 37
Assessment and accountability arrangements 43
Resources 45
CHARTER 3 STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AMERICAN STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS 55
Introduction 56
Overall Solution rates 56
Selection of conspicuous items 56
Detecting patterns 61
Analyses of illustrating items 63
Analysis of Student solutions 68
Final observations 74
CHARTER 4 PISA AND THE U.S. COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR MATHEMATICS 77 Comparing the PISA assessment framework to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics 78 Analyzing the PISA 2012 mathematics items relative to CCSSM 81 Results of analyzing PISA 2012 items relative to the CCSSM 86
Final observations 90
ANNEX A1 THE PISA APPROACH TO ASSESSI NC STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS 95 The PISA approach to assessing Student Performance in mathematics 96
STRONG PERFORMERSAND SUCCESSFUL REFORMERS IN EDUCATION - LESSONS FROM PISA 2012 FOR THE UNITED STATES-C OECD