Flyer

FI
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TEST

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L Program for International Student Assessment
PISA 2009

Summary of Activities for Schools

Will the school, staff members, and students
receive compensation for their time and
effort?
Yes. For your participation in the PISA 2009 field
test, your school will receive a $200 cash stipend. Also,
schools will be asked to designate a School Coordinator to
work with PISA staff on within-school arrangements. The
School Coordinator will receive a $100 stipend. Students
who participate in the assessment will receive a $20 cash
stipend, if such payments are approved by the school
principal.
When will data collection take place?
The field test will take place during the period from
March 17 to April 30, 2008. A PISA staff member will
work with your school to establish a convenient date for
the assessment.
Who will be asked to take part in the field test
assessment?
PISA staff will work with you to select a random
sample of up to 42 15-year-olds in your school. These
students will be tested in a group.
Who conducts the assessment?
Trained PISA staff will administer the assessment and
provide all the required materials. Thus, teachers will not
need to set aside time for the assessment.
What is involved for school staff and
students?
• Schools will be asked to designate a School
Coordinator to work with PISA staff on withinschool arrangements.
• The school principal or a designee will be asked to
complete a 30-minute school questionnaire that
asks about characteristics of the school and its
environment.
• Students will be asked to take part in an assessment
that is broken into two parts. The first part is a
reading assessment that will last about 2 hours and
is separated into two sessions with a break in the
middle. After another break, students will be asked
to complete a Student Questionnaire, which will take
about 30 minutes.

What is involved for the School Coordinator?
During the Winter of 2008, the School Coordinator
will be asked to:
• Provide a list of all 15-year-old students in the school;
• Review parent notification requirements; and
• Work with PISA staff to schedule the assessment and
secure a large, quiet space for testing.
During March-April, 2008, the School Coordinator
will be asked to:
• Work with PISA staff to identify students with special
needs who will not be asked to participate in the
assessment;
• Notify parents, teachers, and students concerning the
students who have been selected to take part and the
benefits of participation;
• Confirm the final list of the sampled students;
• Confirm the date and location for the testing;
• Receive the school questionnaire and distribute and
collect it from the principal or designee; and
• Remind the students of the time and place of the
assessment.
On assessment day, the School Coordinator will be
asked to:
• Ensure that the testing room is available and set up for
testing; and
• Provide assistance to ensure that all selected students
attend the assessment session.
It is extremely important that attendance rates be high
in order to avoid the need for a makeup session.

More Information on PISA
What is PISA?
PISA is an international assessment designed by
participating countries and administered to 15-year-old
students in school around the world. PISA reports on
performance in reading, mathematics, and science literacy
every three years, with emphasis on one subject in each data
collection cycle. PISA began in 2000 focusing on reading
literacy. PISA focused on mathematics literacy in 2003 and
science literacy in 2006. In 2009, reading literacy again
will be the primary focus. Educators throughout the U.S.
benefit from PISA by having a greater understanding of
how 15-year-olds in the U.S. compare in terms of reading,
mathematics, and science knowledge and skills with similar
students worldwide.
What is the purpose of the field test?
Each time the assessment is done, new assessment items
need to be developed and tested to assure that those items
accurately measure the knowledge and skills of students.
In the Spring of 2008, new reading items will be tested in
approximately 35 schools and with approximately 1,200
students in the U.S. This field test will allow test developers
to modify or delete items that are not working effectively.
The field test will also provide valuable information about
efficient assessment procedures.

Do schools
and students
have to
participate?
Although
participation is
voluntary, it is
important that
every selected
school and
student participate
to ensure the
completeness and
accuracy of results.
The validity of
results depends
upon a high
response rate.
What confidentiality protections are included in
the assessment?
The list of schools and students included in the field
test will be confidential. Student names will not be linked
to assessment results or questionnaire responses on any
data files (unique ID numbers will be used), and individual
student scores or responses will never be reported.
If you have any questions about the PISA field test, please
feel free to contact the PISA staff at PISA2009@westat.
com or on the toll-free number, 1-888-270-6227.