A Multilevel Study Based on PISA 2003: School Effectiveness Factors in the area of Mathematics

Abstract

This article presents a school effectiveness multilevel model based on PISA 2003 data. Our focus is math achievement. We employ a three level model (student, school and country) with variables related to school effectiveness as predictors of student achievement. We use a methodology that takes into account the multiple plausible values generated by PISA for each student. Results show that family structure, gender, family and school socioeconomic status, home educational resources, quality of school resources, student educational expenditures, school size, teacher education and country economic resources devoted to education all have sizable influence on mathematics achievement.