Assessment Cycle

The assessment takes place in three-yearly cycles.

Each cycle is named according to the year in which the assessment takes place.  The three cycles, PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006 have been completed. The PISA 2009 cycle is well underway and preparations for the PISA 2012 assessment have begun.

In all PISA cycles the domains of reading, mathematical and science literacy are assessed. The main focus of PISA 2000 was on reading literacy, in the sense that it included an extensive set of tasks in this domain. In PISA 2003, the emphasis was on mathematical literacy and an additional domain on problem solving was introduced. In 2006 the focus was on scientific literacy. In the 2009 cycle the assessment of the reading of electronic texts has been introduced as an option. In 2012 the focus of assessment will again be reading.

For a full list of products from the PISA assessments click on the links below:

PISA 2000
PISA 2003
PISA 2006