The PISA Pendulum: Political Discourse and Education Reform in the Age of Global Reference Societies

Since the initial administration of the Program in International Student Assessment (PISA), governments have increasingly turned their attention to the policy implications stemming from this global benchmark measure. Educational jurisdictions such as Finland, South Korea, Hong Kong, Canada, and more recently Singapore, at various points in time, have been internationally lauded for their high achievement and touted as global reference societies by policymakers wishing to emulate their relative success. Yet questions and concerns remain regarding the undue influence and policy recommendations promoted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation Development. This chapter explicates some of the dominant political narratives as well as sources of contestation attributed to PISA that have shaped global, transnational, and national education governance agendas. Overall, the chapter provides a critical analysis of the policy influence of PISA.