The international comparative studies in 1959 were conducted by International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) researchers who recognized that differences in student achievement measures in mathematics across countries could be caused by differences in curricula. The measurements of opportunity to learn (OTL) grew…

The evolution of the opportunity-to-learn (OTL) concept from a research concept to a policy instrument is examined. The origins of OTL in studies by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement are described, and the role of OTL research in educational indicators is explored. (SLD)

This booklet presents the results of an exploratory study of educational indicators that differentiate more effective from less effective primary schools. The studies examined in the booklet encompassed 26 national systems of education. The booklet considers the community context of the school; school management; school size, type, and staffing…

Available sources of information on academic achievement levels of American elementary and secondary school students as compared to their counterparts in major foreign countries are analyzed. Focus is on testing conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) in Stockholm (Sweden). The IEA tests…

This paper examines a number of issues surrounding the addition of a dimension of international comparisons to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The basic position of the paper is that adding an international dimension to NAEP is certainly possible, but some problems will need to be overcome. Non-issues are identified and…

The first and second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Science Studies examined and compared science achievement in 19 and 26 countries, respectively. This paper considered 10 technical issues that arose in these 2 studies of science education and achievement. The issues discussed were the: (1) need for the…

Building on an international survey including nearly 10,500 teachers and 200,000 students in 32 countries, this booklet presents empirical data relevant to the controversial issue of how children should be taught to read. The booklet examines a broad spectrum of teaching conditions, teacher characteristics, and instructional practices and relates…

This booklet focuses on the reading literacy test scores of students in the grade levels where most 9- and 14-year-olds were to be found in 32 national systems of education. Data were collected from 9,073 schools, 10,518 teachers, and 210,059 students. The booklet describes the achievement levels of carefully selected probability samples of…