PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study)

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an educational research study on children’s reading literacy achievement conducted in countries around the world. The first study was conducted in 35 countries during 2001. Now administered every five years, the study is designed to measure trends in the achievement of middle primary school students as well as providing countries with a snapshot of achievement at each cycle. The study involves New Zealand’s Year 5 students.

As well as assessing students, PIRLS also collects background information from the students, their parents/caregivers, their reading teachers, and from the principals of the schools at which they attend.

New Zealand took part in the third cycle of PIRLS, with the data collection for the main study completed in November 2010. Forty-five countries and nine benchmarking participants around the world participated in this third cycle.  The international results were released in December 2012.

PIRLS is conducted under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which is an independent international co-operative of national research institutions and government agencies. The Ministry of Education’s Comparative Education Research Unit manages the implementation of the TIMSS studies in New Zealand.

The Ministry of Education has published reports based on national results from PIRLS studies. All PIRLS reports are listed on the PIRLS publications page (please refer to the 'Downloads/Links' box, top right).

For PIRLS international data, information and publications you can visit the IEA website (please refer to the links in the 'Where to Find Out More' box, top right).

International Sites of Interest

IEA
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement is an independent, international cooperative of national research institutions and governmental research agencies.

PIRLS
The international PIRLS site is maintained by Boston College

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