International Activities Program
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is responsible for the collection and distribution of U.S. data for international education comparison efforts conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
AIR supports these efforts through technical assistance and expert measurement advice, including input on study design, analysis, reporting, and dissemination, and reviewing of reports for the following international assessments:
- Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)
- Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)
- Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
- Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)
To support dissemination of these reports, AIR regularly conducts data trainings on the International Data Explorer and the International Cross-Time, Cross-System Education Data for Researchers database.
Additionally, the International Activities Program participates with NCES in several technical advisory groups of the OECD. AIR staff analyze and report the U.S. data for the OECD’s annual report, Education at a Glance and advise on improving the data measures to create more accurate international comparisons.