Explaining Student Performance
Evidence from the international PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS surveys

Final Report November 2005

Explaining Student Performance
Evidence from the international PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS surveys
Jens Henrik Haahr with Thomas Kibak Nielsen, Martin Eggert Hansen and Søren Teglgaard Jakobsen

www.danishtechnology.dk jens.henrik.haahr@teknologisk.dk

This study was carried out on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Views expressed represent exclusively the positions of the authors and do not necessarily correspond to those of the European Commission.

Contents
Index 1. .......................................................................................................................... 2

2.

3. 4.

Executive Summary................................................................................................. 4 1.1. Education Systems and Basic Skills................................................................. 4 1.2. Student Background Characteristics and Basic Skills.................................... 10 1.3. School Characteristics and Basic Skills ......................................................... 13 1.4. Individual Student Characteristics and Basic Skills....................................... 17 1.5. New Analysis and Data Collection Activities................................................ 19 Introduction............................................................................................................ 22 2.1. Objectives....................................................................................................... 22 2.2. Scope of the Study.......................................................................................... 24 2.3. Approach and Methodology........................................................................... 32 A Framework for Analysing