How Do IEA Studies Measure Socioeconomic Status? Evaluating the Consistency and Stability of Items

In this chapter we conduct a thorough review of the measurement of socioeconomic status (SES) in International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) studies. All SES-related items incorporated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (grade four and grade eight), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Civic Education Study (CIVED), and International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) studies between 1995 and 2019 are included, with examinations of SES indicators from all sources (e.g., students, teachers, parents, and school administrators). Our principal criteria are the consistency of inclusion in IEA assessments, including across countries within the same assessment, and the stability of item wording. Our analysis concludes that, despite its limitations, the books in the home variable is the strongest candidate for measuring family background across IEA assessments.