11. Student Achievement—Programme for International Student Assessments and Socio-economic FactorsDr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of EducationStudent Achievement—Programme for International Student Assessments and Socio-economic Factors11. Dr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of Education: What recent reports has she received on educational achievement for New Zealand?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. I am pleased to see the results of the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) released overnight. It is particularly pleasing to see that the 2012 fall in rankings has stabilised. New Zealand is now notably ranked 10th out of 70 countries for reading up from 13th; is up two places from 23rd to 21st for maths; and has significantly improved in science from 18th to 12th. PISA 2015 also reports that New Zealand has one of the highest international proportions of all-round top achievers in all three subjects at 6 percent compared with the OECD average of 4 percent. Furthermore 20 percent of all New Zealand students assessed are among the top performers in at least one of these subjects. This is better than the OECD average of 15 percent.Dr Jian Yang: What other insight does PISA tell us about how our education system is performing?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I am very proud of New Zealand students who achieve these excellent results but it is balanced by my concern that we still have too many in the lowest performing cohort and we see little shift from Māori and Pasifika in this group. So we have more to do. PISA is an important contribution to the indicators that tell us how well we are doing compared with the rest of the world. Other education systems are striving just as hard as we are to improve and PISA reflects that dynamic. This latest report shows that although New Zealand has stabilised and improved its ranking other systems have fallen. Our science and reading rankings place New Zealand students above countries like Australia France Switzerland the United Kingdom and the United States.Catherine Delahunty: Tēnā koe Minister. Given that the PISA results show that our schools have been unable to overcome the impact of inequality within their walls which was confirmed by Ministry of Education officials at the Education and Science Committee today will the Minister now acknowledge the effect that not having lunch has on a child's educational achievement?Hon HEKIA PARATA: That in fact is not what the member was briefed on at select committee this morning. In fact Dr Jones head of evidence data and knowledge in the ministry and New Zealand's representative on the international PISA board advised select committee that in 2012 the effect of socio-economic status was 18 percent. It has now reduced to 13 percent which reflects how our social investment initiatives are supporting young people to be more successful.Dr Jian Yang: What does PISA tell us about changes we can make to our education system to ensure New Zealanders continue to be internationally competitive?Hon HEKIA PARATA: Similar to the trends in international mathematics and science study TIMSS released last week PISA highlights that there remains more work to do to lift achievement levels of Māori and Pasifika students who still on average have lower rates of achievement than other groups. We are making significant progress in both excellence and equity and my work programme will continue to build on these next year. This will include directly targeting operational funding to students most at risk of underachievement better and more consistent use of data targeted professional learning and development and a review of decile funding. We also want to help more of our students and teachers by extending the educational success we have in many of our schools and communities of learning or kāhui ako are key to this goal being achieved as they can turn best practice into common practice.Catherine Delahunty: Does a child trying to do their homework in the back seat of a car that their family lives in place their educational achievement at risk?Hon HEKIA PARATA: As I indicated earlier our Government's approach to and record on social investment reflects how concerned we are to ensure that the background the home experience and the support families at risk get from this Government is available to them. Whether that is in social housing whether that is the fact that we are the first Government in 43 years to raise benefit rates or whether it is the targeted operational funding in education this Government is putting taxpayers' money where it matters most.Catherine Delahunty: So is the Minister now acknowledging that children from disadvantaged socio-economic circumstances are at greater risk of poorer health; cold damp homes; and significant educational challenges and that these issues are actually connected?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have never not acknowledged that the home life of a child has an impact. But what I have consistently said in this House is that that does not discharge the obligation of ensuring that every child has the best education possible and as Minister of Education that is my focus. My colleagues are focused on the other elements that contribute to that success and we are working well together to ensure that those most at risk get the support they need.