PISA Seminar An option to learn from other countries’ educational systems Tallinn, April 2012 What are possible reasons for Canadian success in PISA Group studies?

Topics Features of Canada’s education systems Provincial/National/International Assessments PISA in Canada –Management, Sampling, Analysis and Reporting –Results –Policy implications

Education in Canada Education is the exclusive jurisdiction of each province/territory No federal ministry of Education The Council of Ministers of Education (Canada) Bilingual education systems Individual curricula and assessment program in each province but with many similarities

Pan-Canadian and International Assessments PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (OS): 2011 ICILS (OS): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (BM): 2001, 2006, 2011 ICILS (PC): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 TIMSS (BM): 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS : 2006 (BM) (OS) ICILS (PC): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (OS): 2011 (NB-F only) PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS) : 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (BM): 2001, 2006, 2011 ICILS (OS): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 TIMSS (BM): 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (PC): 2011 PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (PC): 2011 PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS) : 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS (BM): 2006, 2011 ICILS (PC): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 TIMSS (BM): 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS) : 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIACC (OS): 2011 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 PISA (OS): 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 PIRLS : 2006 (BM), 2011 (OS) ICILS (PC): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 TIMSS (BM): 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 PCAP (OS): 2007, 2010, 2013 ICILS (OS): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011 ICILS (PC): 2013 PIACC (OS): 2011

Provincial and Territorial Assessments English 1 and French-Immersion 2 School Systems Grade 1: E (PA, R) 1 Grade 2: E (R) 1 Grade 3: M, E (R, W) 1 Grade 6: M, E (R, W) 1 Grade 9: M, S, E (R, W) 1 Grade 12: WH, M 1, CH 1, P 1, E 1, B 1, WG 1, ES 1, FSL 1, F 2 Grade 6: E, M Secondary 4: HC, M (TSO, SO, CSTO), ST, AST Secondary 5: FSL (O, OC, WC, W), E (R, W) Grade 3: M, W & R 1 Grade 6: W, R, M Grade 8: M Grade 9: W, R Grade 12: E (R, W), E/COM (R, W), M, AM Grade 2: R & W 1 Grade 3: M Grade 4: R & W Grade 5: M, O & W 1 Grade 7: R & W 1 Grade 8: M Grade 9: R & W 1 Grade 10: R & W 2, FSL (OPF 1 ) Grade 12: FSL (OPF 1 ) Grade 3: R, W, M Grade 6: R, W, M Grade 9: M Grade 10: R, W Grade 3: R, N Grade 4: R 2 Grade 7: M, SE Grade 8: R, W Grade 12: M (PAE), E, F Grades 4, 7, 10 (odd years): R Grades 5, 8 (odd years): M Grades 5, 8 (even years): W Grade 7: TR Grade 12: E, M, B, P, CH (non-accredited teachers only) Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P Pre K: DS 1 Grade 3: R, W Grade 4: M Grade 6: R & W 1, M 1 Grade 9: M Grade 4 : R, W, N Grade 7: R, W, N Grade 10: M (AW, FP), S, E, EFP Grade 11: SS, CS Grade 12: FNS, E, EFP, COM, FSL 2 Grade 4 : R, W, N Grade 7: R, W, N Grade 10: M (AW, FP), S, E, EFP Grade 11: SS, CS Grade 12: FNS, E, EFP, COM, FSL 2 Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P

Provincial and Territorial Assessments French School System Grade 3: M Grade 6: M, F Grade 9: M Grade 12: B, CH, M Grade 4: F (W) Grade 6: F (R, W), ESL, M Secondary 2: F (W) Secondary 4: HC, M (TSO, SO, CSTO), ST, AST Secondary 5: ESL (O, W, C), F (W) Grade 3: M Grade 6: W, R Grade 8: M Grade 9: W, R Grade 12: : E (R, W), M, AM Grade 2: R Grade 3: M Grade 4: R Grade 5: F (R, W), M, ST Grade 8: R, W, M, ST Grade 10: ESL (O) Grade 11: M, F (R, W) Grade 3: R, W, M Grade 6: R, W, M Grade 9: M Grade 10: R, W Grade 3: R, N Grade 7: M, SE Grade 8: R, W Grade 12: M, F, E Grades 4, 7, 10 (odd years): R Grades 5, 8 (odd years): M Grades 5, 8 (even years): W Grade 7: TR Grade 12: E, M, B, P, CH (non-accredited teachers only) Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P Pre K: DS Grade 3: R & W Grade 4: M Grade 9: M Grade 4 : R, W, N Grade 7: R, W, N Grade 10: M (AW, FP), S, F Grade 11: SS, CS Grade 12: FNS, E, EFP, COM, F Grade 4 : R, W, N Grade 7: R, W, N Grade 10: M (AW, FP), S, F Grade 11: SS, CS Grade 12: FNS, E, EFP, COM, F Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P Grade 3: E, F, M Grade 6: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 9: E, F, M, S, SS Grade 12: E, F, M, S, SS, B, CH, P

The Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) Initiated in 1993 through CMEC Cyclical administration Three domains assessed — reading, mathematics, and science (one major and two minors) Assesses common areas of the curricula at the Grade 8 level Sample-based, low stake Same cohort as PISA students but 2 years prior Approximately 30,000 students participate Results reported at the jurisdictional level only Contextual Questionnaires to students, teachers, and school principals

Some results from PCAP The ordering of provinces tend to be the same in PCAP and PISA Relatively small gap in performance across jurisdictions Across Canada, about 1 in 10 students is not performing at grade level Persistent gender gap in reading, no gap in mathematics and a small gap in favour of girls in science Slight decrease in reading over time. Across provinces, students in language minority settings tend to do less well than students in language majority settings

PISA in Canada Partnership between the federal and provincial governments Large sample to allow provincial comparisons: –About 20,000 students from about 1,000 schools –All 10 provinces with 7 oversampling by language (no territories and no Aboriginal schools on reserves) Analyses: –Provinces compared to countries –Results by language –Secondary analyses

PISA 2009 Reading

PISA 2009 Results in Mathematics and Science

PISA 2009 Results in Reading by Province and by Language Estimated average scores and school-language system differences for combined reading, by province

PISA 2009 Results in Reading by Gender Estimated average scores and gender differences in student performance for combined reading

Comparison of Reading Results Over Time

PISA 2009 Results in Reading by Immigration Status

Some positive points Relative high performance with high equity Similar performance in reading, mathematics and science Small between-school variance Small variation by immigration status Limited impact of SES Positive student-teacher relations

PISA and Equity

And some challenges too Lack of improvement = Lower relative ranking Proportion of high achievers in reading decreased Reading performance decreased in some provinces between 2000 and 2009 Gender gap in reading remains at the OECD average Lower performance of students in minority settings

Second Report from the PISA 2009 Canadian Results Better students tend to come from more advantaged backgrounds Canadian parents tend to have higher levels of education and more household possessions Variance among schools is small and effects of school problems are limited Lower levels of classroom disciplinary problems Positive teacher-student relations Students have above-average enjoyment of reading which is associated positively with reading proficiency Diversity in reading materials and time spent on reading for enjoyment are associated positively with reading proficiency Insert cover page Canadian Report here

Some Canadian initiatives… PISA is used as a catalyst for change in education policy but not as the sole source of information. In 2007, the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) was redefined to be align with the PISA cycle. In New Brunswick (since PISA 2000): –NB introduced stakeholder consultations –Early literacy initiatives (K-Grade 2) –When kids come first initiative introduced in 2007 In Prince Edward Island (since PISA 2003): –Strengthening of provincial assessment program In Ontario (since PISA 2003): –Hosting several conferences, summits, expert reviews –Launch of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat in 2004

Pierre Brochu Coordinator, Assessment Council of Ministers of Education (Canada)