Data Files

You can explore the PIRLS data directly through NCES's online data tool — the International Data Explorer (IDE)

International Data Files and Data Resources
The international PIRLS database for each data collection cycle can be found under the "International Database" section for each data collection cycle of the international PIRLS website. Resources available include:

PIRLS international database
SAS control files
SPSS control files
International codebooks and data almanacs
Questionnaires
Data User's Guides
Online data analysis tools
Released items

In addition, the international PIRLS website lists publications that may be of use to data users, including

PIRLS Data Analysis manuals
PIRLS Technical reports
PIRLS international data reports
PIRLS assessment frameworks

The international PIRLS website is organized by data collection year (2001 and 2006).

U.S. Data Files and Data Resources
In each administration of PIRLS, the United States collects some information that is not part of the international survey, such as the race/ethnicity of students and students' participation in the federal free and reduced-price lunch program. These additional variables are available only through NCES. U.S. data files are produced that contain U.S. data for the international survey variables along with the U.S.-specific variables. Thus, the U.S. data files available from NCES contain information only for the United States.

The U.S. national PIRLS database for each data collection cycle can be found under the "Data Products" section of the NCES PIRLS website. The U.S. database includes all U.S. data, both international and U.S.-only variables. For some data collection cycles, a U.S. restricted-use database is also available. Restricted-use databases contain more detailed information than the public-use databases. Resources available include:

U.S. PIRLS database
SAS control files
SPSS control files
Codebooks
U.S. versions of the international questionnaires
Data User's Guide