Over more than two decades of international standardized assessments, Ireland has shown consistently high results in both student achievement and equity. Ireland has gained recognition as a world leader across academic subjects but particularly in literacy, where it scores at the top of the charts globally. It also is notable for achieving these results while spending less per student than many of its peers in the OECD.
But Ireland has not always captured the same attention as other high performers. Several factors—such as under-reporting of its equity outcomes by global news sources, its relatively recent rise to the top of the comparative tables, and the Irish government’s lack of promotion of its successes, domestically and abroad—may account for the relatively low profile of Ireland’s system of education on the global stage.
This report seeks to investigate the factors that underlie Ireland’s success, especially in literacy where it excels, and to draw out lessons for other systems. To do so, the report draws on interviews with teachers, leaders, other stakeholders, and individuals working within the system during a twenty-year span, as well as an analysis of key documents and assessment data.
