The influences and implications of PISA: An Australian perspective

This article is a commentary on Australia’s involvement in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests. It provides a rationale for Australia’s participation in the PISA programme, the influences of PISA involvement on education policies and practices, and considerations and implications for school leaders and education researchers. It provides commentary on the positive and negative aspects of PISA involvement and concludes that there are many more disadvantages than benefits, each of which is explained. The article has applicability across the many standardized testing programmes to which Australian students are subjected. Furthermore, the Australian experience and this perspective may hold resonance for colleagues in countries with similar education systems, policies, and standardized testing regimes.