Teaching quality and socioeconomic inequalities in student achievement: Meta-Analytic evidence from PISA 2022

Using data from students across 79 education systems participating in PISA 2022, this study provides a meta-analytic investigation of how teaching quality relates to socioeconomic inequalities in student achievement in mathematical literacy. We examined the associations of three key dimensions of teaching quality, namely cognitive activation, teacher support, and classroom management, with socioeconomic inequalities in student achievement. The results reveal a consistent international pattern: Higher levels of cognitive activation and teacher support are associated with smaller socioeconomic inequalities. These findings highlight the global relevance of fostering cognitively challenging and supportive learning environments to promote equity in education. Implications for cross-national research and evidence-based education policy are discussed.