School Factors Discussion Guide

PISA/PIRLS Task ForceInternational Reading Association

www.reading.orgJanuary 2005

School Factors — Key topics

TransitionsManagement and leadershipResources and structure

PIRLS findings

• Preschool attendance results in highest average reading achievement.

• Students with lowest average reading achievement did not attend preschool.

School Transition

1

Establishing Context

What assistance is available to children making the transition from home to a school environment?

How many children participate?

Are there groups of parents who do not send their children to preschool?

How do preschool programs promote the literacy development necessary for school?

School Transition

2

Establishing Context

Is the value of preschool promoted?

With their focus on single grades, neither PISA nor PIRLS address school–to–school transitions. Are students adequately prepared for transitions throughout their schooling?

School Transition

3

Planning Action

What can reading professionals do to assist children as they transition from home to

school?

School Transition

4

• School climate

• Principals’ activities

• Autonomy and decision–making authority

• Opportunities for professional development

Management and Leadership

5

• Positive perceptions of school climate related to higher reading achievement levels. (PISA)

• Principals spend most of their time on administrative duties with less but evenly divided time on developing curriculum and supporting pedagogy, parent and community relations, and teaching. (PIRLS)

Management and Leadership

6

• The greater the responsibility for decision making at the school and teacher level, the higher reading achievement. (PISA)

• Most teachers had 15 hours or fewer of workshops and seminars in the previous two years. (PIRLS)

Management and Leadership

7

Establishing Context

How high was your country’s perception of a positive school climate?

Does the school climate rating correlate in the expected way with student reading literacy achievement? If not, how might this be explained?

What can you do to create a more positive school climate?

Management and Leadership

8

Establishing Context

How much time do principals spend in curriculum development and pedagogy support activities?

If principals spend too much time on administrative tasks, how should time be allocated?

Management and Leadership

9

Establishing context

Do school principals support decision making by teachers and other stake holders about literacy curriculum and practices?

What factors constrain or enable decision making about reading instructional practices in schools?

Management and Leadership

10

Establishing Context

How often are professional development opportunities provided?

How influential are principals in encouraging or limiting professional development participation?

In what ways are teachers more effective with children and young adults as a result of ongoing professional development?

Management and Leadership

11

Planning ActionWhat should reading professionals do to ensure

that school management and leadership promotes reading achievement?

Management and Leadership

12

PISA findings

• Educational resources appear to be more closely related to performance than physical infrastructure.

• Overall, greater instructional resources correlated with higher student achievement.

•Students in schools reporting no shortage or inadequacy of resources generally had higher reading achievement than those affected “a lot” by shortages.

Physical Infrastructure, Resources, and School System Structure

13

Physical Infrastructure, Resources, and School System Structure

PISA findings

• School systems with fewer types of schools are associated with higher performance and fewer differences in student outcomes.

• Systems with less pupil selection are associated with higher performance and fewer differences in student outcomes.

14

Establishing Context

Are resources appropriate and in balance? What resources are in scarce supply?

How are school resources distributed among schools?

Are schools supplied with instructional resources, such as well-stocked libraries, teacher instructional materials, and computers?

Physical Infrastructure, Resources, and School System Structure

15

Establishing Context

In some countries, why do some students achieve high levels of reading literacy despite unfavorable circumstances?

Do national and local governments, parents, schools, and teachers support multiple school types?

How selective are schools in admitting students?

Are decision makers and the public aware of the impact of multiple school types and student selection on achievement?

Physical Infrastructure, Resources, and School System Structure

16

Planning Action

What should reading professionals do to ensure that school structure, resources, and infrastructure

support reading achievement?

Physical Infrastructure, Resources, and School System Structure

17