A Comparative Analysis of Reading Achievement Across the Turkic World: PIRLS 2021 as a Benchmark for Educational Unity

This study examines student – and school-level variables affecting the reading achievement of fourth-grade students in the Turkic Republics (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan)based on Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021 data. Following missing data screening, the final sample comprised 19,997 students nested within 796 schools. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) indicated that betweenschool achievement variance was highest in Azerbaijan (41%) and lowest in Uzbekistan (16%), warranting the application of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). The analysis results revealed that, at the student level, socioeconomic status served as the strongest predictor of reading achievement in Türkiye, whereas reading confidence emerged as the primary driver of success in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. Moreover, engaging in early literacy activities positively supported achievement across all countries. At the school level, parental expectations and parental support contributed substantially to academic performance in Türkiye; however, this positive effect remained weak across the other nations. Furthermore, when controlling for all student – and school-level factors, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan lagged significantly behind Türkiye in reading performance. Overall, the findings suggest that enhancing reading achievement requires addressing country-specific weaknesses through targeted educational interventions and policy measures tailored to each nation’s unique internal dynamics and local conditions.