The main data files will include: the student-questionnaire data file (which also includes estimates of student performance and parent-questionnaire data), the school-questionnaire data file, the teacher-questionnaire data file, the cognitive item data file and a file with questionnaire timing data. These files include countries/economies/subregions that fully met adjudication criteria.
The Australian Government and the state and territory governments provided the funding for the Australian component of PISA 2015. All of Australia’s share of the international overheads and half of the basic funding for PISA within Australia was contributed by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, while each state and territory government education department provided funding in proportion to the numbers of 15-year-old students enrolled in their schools. In Australia, PISA is guided by the International Assessments Joint National Advisory Committee (IAJNAC). ACER wishes to thank the IAJNAC members for their interest and commitment throughout every phase of the project. Their involvement included reviewing the frameworks and assessment items, assisting with the implementation of PISA in schools from their state or territory, and providing valuable information to ensure the success of PISA 2015 in Australia. The undertaking of PISA 2015 was a collaborative effort. A national assessment such as PISA could not be successful without the cooperation of school systems, principals, teachers, students and parents. A high participation rate of the randomly selected schools and students is essential for obtaining high-quality data. It is thanks to this level of cooperation that Australia was able to fully satisfy the internationally set response criteria for PISA 2015. ACER gratefully acknowledges the assistance of education system officials Australia-wide, and the principals, teachers and students in the participating schools who so generously gave their time and support to the project.
