Frequently Asked Questions

• What is PISA?
• Why is PISA important?
• What is PISA's purpose and how does PISA compare to other assessments?
• Which countries participated in PISA?
• What are the components of PISA?
• When and how will the data be collected?
• What subject areas are assessed?
• Who is conducting the PISA study?

What are the components of PISA?

Assessment
PISA is a paper-and-pencil exam that is designed to assess 15-year-olds' capabilities in reading, mathematics, and science literacy. Each student takes a two-hour assessment. Assessment items include a combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions that require students to come up with their own response. PISA scores are reported on a scale with a mean score of 500 and a standard deviation of 100.

Questionnaires
Students completed a 30 minute background questionnaire (309 KB) providing information about themselves. In addition, the principal of each participating school completed a 30-minute questionnaire (278 KB) about the school.

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