The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) was designed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to evaluate the quality, equity, and efficiency of school systems around the world. Specifically, the PISA has assessed 15-year-old students' reading, mathematics, and science literacy on a 3-year cycle, since…

By examining the development of a local school reform that was meant to be teacher-driven, this multiple case study explored the limits on evaluation use in a hierarchical setting in which multiple audiences exist. This study was a comparative analysis of the actions and evaluation philosophies of two district administrators responsible for…

In this article we provide a critique of the interpretation and utilization of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results by the National Education Authorities in Turkey. First, we define and explain what OECD's PISA is. Second, we make an overview of the media coverage in Turkey of the PISA 2003 and 2006 results. Third, we…

This paper examines the current academic and policy literatures concerning school evaluation in primary and secondary education within the OECD countries. First, it provides a typology of the existing systems of school evaluation across the OECD. It encompasses the diverse criteria and instruments commonly used to carry out schools evaluation, as…

The current wave of reform in education, often referred to as systemic change, requires specific evaluation needs, especially at the school district level. Evaluation must address both the local district effort for systemic reform and restructuring. The state and national need to demonstrate accomplishment of student outcomes and adherence to…