NAPLAN Mess

From the ABC

The NAPLAN results for more than 1 million children have been caught up in controversy as education heads raise the alarm that it may not be possible to compare scores across the country.

KEY POINTS:

·         NAPLAN results delayed over concerns national data could be invalid

·         State and territory education heads have raised concerns results are not comparable

·         Parents and educators are waiting for results that are "sitting on the shelves"

The national assessment authority, ACARA, was due to publish a summary of the preliminary NAPLAN results of 1 million students today, but there is disagreement between some states and the authority over how scores should be publicly reported.

A confidential document seen by the ABC reveals ACARA has been canvassing options for how and when to report this year's results since June and the implications of each one, including the "reputational risk" to the national testing body, NAPLAN and My School data.

The ABC understands no agreement was reached and several state department heads questioned whether data was statistically comparable between the new online tests and the pen-and-paper version after seeing their students' test scores.

The education bosses will meet with ACARA in Canberra today to try and resolve the impasse.

Principals are now speaking out about the uncertainty, saying they are concerned the data will be delayed further.

"Parents are asking when the results are coming," said Julie Ross, the principal of Kogarah High School in Sydney's south. 

"I have to throw my hands up and say 'look I'm sorry, I can't tell you.' There's a lot of disquiet."

Below is an email I sent to the VCAA after finishing training! I got a call the other day and was told I could elect to do it pen and paper but everyone will be doing it online by 2020. I said that there was no point delaying the inevitable but it had to be sorted out so it was fair for small rural schools. I asked who do I complain too and was told I could contact ACARA abut they'd just send the complaint back to the VCAA.  I tweeted Callister and Merlino this morning about this but fat lot of good that will do. I'll raise it with the AEU at a PCA meeting I have this evening.

My name is Tony Shaw . I’m the principal of a one-teacher rural school. I have just completed a NAPLAN Online training session.

I have been administering NAPLAN every year (since it was LAP/AIM) and have always found it disruptive during the testing week and the co-ordinator process time consuming but  bearable. (in particular the security procedure is facile in my school setting) 

However the training I just completed is of genuine concern. Obviously nobody running NAPLAN has any understanding of the day to day operation of a one-teacher rural school because the process that was shown to us looks extremely convoluted and will cause considerable disruption for my school for much longer than three days!

I was particularly stunned by the stupid instruction that I had to create a separate email account as the NAPLAN Coordinator! (apparently I have to ‘invite ‘ myself to do something?) Small rural schools where one person has to do EVERYTHING should  have an abridged process to follow or be allowed to continue to use pen and paper. I now understand why one of my colleagues has refused to be involved in this.

I would appreciate a response to this email ASAP.