Statement of the American Federation of Teachers
on the Results of the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment

Note:  The results of the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) were released today.  The PISA compares the reading, math and science skills of 15-year-olds in 49 nations.  The test evaluates practical application of knowledge across disciplines.

Washington, D.C. — The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which shows that the United States continues to be at or near the international average, underscores that we have a lot of work to do.  Average is nowhere near good enough.

What the results immediately point to is that among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), America's poor and disadvantaged students experience some of the greatest educational inequities.  All American students deserve the best possible educational opportunities and too many are not receiving them.  Our nation's strong link between socioeconomic background and performance calls for immediate and thoughtful action.  As a first step, we should dig deeper into data such as those provided by the PISA and examine and learn from the educational structures of other nations.  

The United States is filled with examples of good schools, good teachers and good students.  This is a solid foundation.  We recognize the challenge raised by the 2003 PISA results, and we remain committed to working with policymakers and educators to make equity and educational excellence a reality for all American students.

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