PIRLS, conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), investigates changes over time in children’s reading achievement at the fourth grade (age 9-10). First assessed in 2001, PIRLS has been on a regular fiveyear cycle since then. In general, participating countries use PIRLS in various ways to explore educational issues, including among others monitoring system-level achievement trends in a global context, establishing achievement goals and standards for educational improvement, and stimulating curriculum reform.
