For many years, Poland has participated in numerous International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSA) that focus on the competences of children and young people. These studies provide a unique source of knowledge about students’ skills, attitudes, and achievements, as well as how they evolve over time. Importantly, they make it possible to compare the achievements of Polish students with those of their peers from around the world.

In addition to student competences, ILSA also cover a wide range of issues relating to learning and teaching processes and conditions – for example, teachers’ views and instructional practices, school resources and organization, the home environment, and the educational activities undertaken by parents. This makes it possible to better understand the factors that influence students’ outcomes.

ILSA are also conducted among adults, and some studies focus on the organization, practices, and working conditions of teachers and school principals.

The main organizers of the International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSA) conducted in Poland are the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The datasets from studies conducted by these organizations are publicly available and constitute an important resource not only for researchers and academics but also for all those interested in education and its outcomes.