IEA’s Rosetta Stone: measuring global progress toward the SDG for quality education by linking regional assessment results to TIMSS and PIRLS International Benchmarks of Achievement

This IEA proposal is to address the need to measure progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning. In particular, the proposal describes a strategy for developing Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people: (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex. As set forth in “Unpacking Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education 2030: Guide”, the principles, strategies, actions for this target go beyond the simple dichotomy of “literate” versus “illiterate” and are underpinned by the contemporary understanding of literacy as a continuum of proficiency levels. More specifically, the guide states that “action for this target aims at ensuring that by 2030 all young people and adults across the world should have achieved relevant and recognized proficiency levels in functional literacy and numeracy skills”.