This chapter explores how broader characteristics of education systems affect the relationship between funding and equity. It describes how differently targeted funding and system structures can influence equity, and why increasing targeted funds does not always lead to more equitable outcomes. Systems which focus on early intervention, with judicious use of targeted interventions are likely to be more equitable and more cost-effective than systems which emphasise compensatory mechanisms. This chapter also examines the relationship between private school systems and equity at system and individual levels. It argues that widely used Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development definitions of public and private schools are inadequate and often misleading. They contribute to a poor evidence base which often understates the link between private systems and inequity. Better indicators are needed, as is consideration of the longer-term impact of private schools on society.

Online sources are increasingly the most likely starting place when seeking information about any topic. Parents of prospective students may access school websites in advance of enrolling their child. Parents of current students are likely to access a school’s website for information about the school’s current activities or to learn more about the teaching and learning taking place in their child’s classroom. With a few notable exceptions, there is limited research on the quality of school websites internationally, particularly at primary level. For this paper, the online presence of 100 Irish primary schools was examined. Of the 90 schools for whom some web presence was established, information provided to parents of current students and parents of prospective students was examined. Findings show that primary school websites do not comprehensively address the information needs of either group of parents and highlight areas of potential improvement.

Online reading necessitates the use of both similar and different skills to traditional paper-based reading. Therefore, some overlap is likely in the background and attitudinal factors associated with reading in the two modes. This study uses a multilevel framework and data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2016) to explore the characteristics associated with online and paper-based reading in Ireland. Of independent variables examined, pupil reading confidence has the largest effect size for both PIRLS and ePIRLS. Home background variables have similar effect sizes for the two outcomes. Differences between the models emerge regarding time spent browsing the intemet, the frequency of using a computer at school, pupil enjoyment of reading, and pupil ownership of a smartphone.

Issues with the conceptualization, implementation and interpretation of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are examined. The values that underpin the project are discussed. What PISA is intended to measure (preparation for life, key competencies, real-life challenges, curriculum independence) is contrasted with what it probably measures. Issues are identified relating to cultural fairness (quality and equivalence of translations, Anglophone origins, response styles, importance accorded to the test) and the representativeness of participating populations (samples, response rates, adjustment for nonresponse).

The participation of large numbers of countries in current international assessments involving reading literacy – 40 in PIRLS 2006 (administered to students in Grade 4 in primary schools) and 57 in PISA 2006 (administered to 15‐year‐olds in post‐primary schools) – suggests that governments and other bodies find the outcomes to be useful. This article acknowledges the benefits of participating in these assessments, including the insights they provide into variation in reading achievement between and within countries, differences between engagement in reading and reading performance among males and females, associations between engagement and socioeconomic status, and instructional practices. Criticisms of international assessments, including those related to cultural bias in texts and inconsistencies in sampling, are linked to difficulties in interpreting achievement outcomes across studies and over time. Directions that PIRLS and PISA may take in the future are outlined.

Aspects of the performance of Irish 15-year olds on a test of scientific literacy in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) are described. The conceptualization of scientific literacy is discussed and related to how it was assessed in PISA 2003. The performance of Irish students, which was significantly above the OECD average, is described, and related to the performance of Irish students in the 2000 cycle of PISA. In describing students’ performance, the lack of significant gender differences and the significant differences in relation to socioeconomic status, school sector, and student uptake of science are considered.

The integration of service provision for 'at risk' children and their families is examined in case studies in four geographical areas. Despite differences between areas in the degree of integration achieved, provision was disjointed. Urban provision was characterized by a preponderance of services supported by short-term funding, often housed in unsuitable premises, while rural provision was limited in the extreme. Some of the main factors found to facilitate or obstruct integration are outlined. It is concluded that the 'under one roof model proposed by the OECD (1998 can work well in an urban setting, provided that services are not centralized around a school, but that a different model will be required to meet the needs of a rural population. Although widespread use of the term 'at risk' is relatively recent, it has nonetheless become somewhat of a clich used to denote each or all of a variety of educational, personal, and societal problems. It is probable that most children could be described as 'at risk' at some time or other in their lives (Liontos, 1992). However, there remains a core of children who, to use the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development definition, 'fail to reach the necessary standards in school, often drop out and as a consequence fail to become integrated into a normally accepted pattern of social responsibility, particularly with regard to work and family life' (OECD, 1995, p. 13). The OECD definition takes educational difficulties as its starting point, but also acknowledges the potential longer-term effects of being 'at risk' . Not only are there multiple possible consequences, but also many associated factors. As well as poverty, family characteristics, health, quality of housing, schooling, and the local community can all contribute to a child being at risk (Cullen, 1997; OECD, 1995). Furthermore, risk factors have a multiplying effect, recognition of which has, in part, contributed to the belief that a multifaceted approach to dealing with at risk children will be more successful than approaches which only tackle single issues. This belief has also given rise to the current interest in the provision of integrated services. Sqrvice integration can mean many things. The definition used here is one from the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare that has been widely used in the literature: