FAQs

Program for International Student Assessment

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PISA 2012

Information for Students
What is PISA?
PISA is an international assessment of 15-year-old students that attempts to measure
how well students apply their knowledge and skills in mathematics, problem solving
and financial literacy. PISA presents problems that students would encounter in the
real-world.

Think of PISA as an Olympics of the mind. The United
States is one of 65 countries participating in PISA.
Why should I participate in PISA?
You represent other students like you all across the country. PISA informs national
discussions about education as well as international competitiveness and your
participation ensures fairness in the questions that will be used in the main study in
2012. Students’ efforts in the field test ensure that the achievement of our nation’s
15-year-olds is accurately and fairly reported.

Only 1,800 students will participate
in the PISA field test in the United States.
Participating in PISA is an honor.
How often do you get to represent your county?
What subjects are assessed in PISA?
The PISA field test has many versions. Most students will take problems in mathematics.
Some students will take something new called financial literacy. Financial literacy
includes questions about personal finance and making decisions about using money.
Some students will also be selected to take an assessment on a computer and will take
reading, mathematics, problem-solving, or a combination of these subjects.

How long does PISA take?
Some students will take a paper and pencil assessment lasting about 3 hours. Some
students will also take a computer-based assessment that will include mathematics,
reading, or problem-solving questions, or a combination. Other students will only
take the computer-based assessment.

PISA 2012

How does PISA select a representative sample of students?
In each PISA school, each 15-year-old student has an equal chance of being selected.
From a list of all 15-year-old students in the school, 42 students are randomly selected
to participate. If a school has fewer than 42 students age 15 then all 15-year-old students
participate in PISA.

How did my school get selected?
The schools that participate in PISA in the United States are randomly selected from a list
of all schools in the country that have 15-year-old students. This is to ensure that the U.S.
participants accurately represent the whole United States and not just particular parts of
the country or particular types of schools or students. Participants in other countries are
selected just the same way to make sure each country is fairly represented and no country
has an advantage because of types of schools or students selected.

O.M.B.  No. 1850-0755

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