Multilevel models for the assessment of school effectiveness using PISA scores

The concept of school effectiveness puts the data on student assessment into perspective by taking into consideration context factors such as the socio-economic level of the students, resulting in a more equitable way of assessing school achievement. Therefore, the study of factors that can foster or hinder school effectiveness is an important field of study that can help improve the quality of our education system. Our research aims to study these factors in the context of the region of Castile and Leon, Spain, by using data from the 2015 PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) report. The data will be analysed through hierarchical linear models, which allow us to account for the nested nature of the information (students are nested within schools). This quantitative analysis will serve to select the most interesting schools (most and least effective) to conduct an in-depth qualitative analysis of their educational and organisational practices.