Shoresh Institute study links parental occupation to student PISA scores

A study by the Shoresh Institute for Socioeconomic Research has found that a parent's occupation has a stronger correlation with a child's PISA test scores than the parents' level of education. The connection between occupation and academic performance was found to be more than twice as strong as the link between education levels and scores.

Analyzing data from 10,336 15-year-old students across PISA cycles from 2012 to 2022, researchers noted specific professional advantages. Children of fathers working in academia, science, or research saw scores approximately 7.3% higher, while those with fathers in technology and software saw a 6.8% increase. For mothers, the most significant advantage was also in the technology sector at approximately 6.8%.

Conversely, children of kindergarten teachers and teaching assistants saw lower scores. The study, which accounted for factors such as gender, birthplace, and access to technology, emphasizes that these findings represent a correlation rather than a direct causal relationship.