National
Assessment arrangements are the responsibility of individual States and Territories. However, research has shown that all are using the national framework of Statements and Profiles as a basis for curriculum development and assessment. 31
National Literacy and Numeracy Plan - national literacy and numeracy benchmarks
Under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, see 1.2.2, all students in Year 7 (aged 12-13) are assessed against nationally agreed literacy and numeracy benchmarks. It is also intended that students in Years 9/10 of lower secondary education (aged 14-16 respectively) will eventually be assessed against nationally agreed benchmarks for this age range. (In addition, students in Years 3 and 5 in all States and Territories in Australia are assessed against the national literacy and numeracy standards. Further information is provided in section 6.2.)
Discovering Democracy
In line with a recent Commonwealth Government initiative, 'Discovering Democracy', all students in all schools in Australia (from the mid-primary to upper secondary phases) have had to study civics and citizenship since 1999. Students learn about democracy and citizenship and are examined each year to test their knowledge of the history and workings of government and the nation's democratic foundations. 37
Queensland
Responsible agencies - the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA)
Prior to July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) had some responsibility for assessment. It:
See section 6.4.1 in addition.
On 1 July 2002, the Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC) merged with the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (QBSSSS) and the Tertiary Entrance Procedures Authority to form the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA). The aim is, through the creation of this single statutory body, to streamline statutory arrangements for the State's curriculum, assessment and tertiary entrance, and to offer a coordinated approached from pre-school to Year 12 and beyond. The new Authority is modelled on the best practice of the three previous bodies. 152 Its website is accessible at http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au.
All schools in the state sector participate in a mandatory testing programme for students in Year 7 (age 12-13) (as well as for students in Year 3 (age 8-9) and Year 5 (age 10-11)). Almost all schools in the non-state sector participate in the programme too. Further information on the Years 3, 5 and 7 Testing Programme is available from the Queensland Studies Authority website:
http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/testing/357tests/index.html
In Queensland, Junior Certificates are issued to students at the end of compulsory education, Year 10, aged 15-16. 53
In addition, the Queensland Studies Authority has issued a consultation paper, which canvasses four options for a Year 9 test (14- to 15-year-olds). This proposed literacy and numeracy test would aim to compliment the current testing programme for primary school and first-year secondary school students (Year 7, aged 12-13) and indicate to parents and schools whether an individual student has a strong enough foundation in literacy and numeracy to allow them to be successful in the senior phase of learning. The four options open for comment are:
Tasmania
In Tasmania, there are literacy (14R) and numeracy (14N) assessments for all 14-year-olds. 13, 31
Responsible agencies - the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA)
The Secretary (the most senior official in the State Department of Education) is responsible for carrying out any review that is appropriate:
Prior to January 2004, the Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board (TASSAB) carried out the following functions in respect of the upper years of secondary education:
The Assessment Board also made rules in respect of:
On 1 January 2004, the Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board's functions were taken over by the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA), which brings together not only the functions of TASSAB but also those of the Universities Registration Council and the Tasmanian Accreditation and Recognition Committee into a new single statutory authority. The TQA is a stand-alone authority, accountable directly to the Minister and undertakes the following functions:
Further information is available via the TQA website at http://www.tqa.tas.gov.au.
Victoria
In Victoria, students are assessed against the requirements of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF). During the period 1999 to 2001, this assessment was linked to the, then, statewide assessment programme - the Victorian Secondary Achievement Monitor (VSAM) see below. Since 2001, statewide assessment against the CSF has been known as the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM). The AIM website is accessible at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html.
VSAM (to 2001)
The Victorian Secondary Achievement Monitor (VSAM) was an interactive computer-managed assessment programme, developed by the Board of Studies in Victoria (now replaced by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, VCAA). VSAM was trialled in Victorian schools in 1997 and 1998 and was designed for students in Years 7 and 9 in government schools (students aged 12-13 and 14-15 respectively), who were tested against the levels of the CSF in the English and mathematics Key Learning Areas. Implementation began during 1999 and continued until 2001 and the interactive computer programme provided immediate feedback of results in terms of the CSF. 70, 81, 71
National
School level assessment is treated mainly as a basis for reporting to parents. It may figure in decisions about promotion to the next grade, but promotion depends predominantly on social considerations. 86
Queensland
The specific purposes of the Testing Programme for students in Year 3 (age 8-9), Year 5 (age 10-11) and Year 7 (age 12-13) are to:
Further information on the Years 3, 5 and 7 Testing Programme is available from the Queensland Studies Authority website: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/testing/357tests/index.html
Victoria
VSAM testing (to 2001)
The Victorian Secondary Achievement Monitor (VSAM) was a system of computer adaptive testing (in English and mathematics) for Year 7 and Year 9 students (aged 12-13 and 14-15 respectively), which was introduced during 1999 and continued until 2001 (see above). 83 The objectives of VSAM were:
In the VSAM programme, benchmarks grouped 'like' schools (that is to say, those with similar levels of students receiving economic maintenance allowance and students with non-English-speaking background) to measure added value. 84
The VSAM has been replaced by the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM).
AIM assessment - 2001 onwards
The Achievement Indicator Monitor (AIM) programme includes five key components:
each of which aims to complement the other as part of a comprehensive programme to boost student learning, improve teaching skills and better inform parents. AIM assesses how students perform in mathematics and English in relation to other students in the same age group or year level. It also measures their achievement against the standard expected for that age group in Victoria and nationally. AIM also aims to identify students having difficulty at school, provide expertise to assist such students in their education, allow teachers to improve learning programmes for students, and enable resources to be targeted where they are most needed. 161
Further information on AIM is available via the website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html.
National
National Literacy and Numeracy Plan
Under the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, see 1.2.2, all students in Years 7 and 9/10 of lower secondary education (aged 12-13 and 14-16 respectively) are to be assessed against nationally agreed benchmarks. See 6.3.1 in addition. 8
Queensland
All students in Year 7 (12-13) in government schools participate in the Queensland Testing Programme, which also involves all students in Year 3 (age 8-9) and Year 5 (age 10-11). Almost all non-government schools also take part. See section 6.3.1 regarding the current consultation on a possible Year 9 test (for 14- to 15-year-olds).
Tasmania
In Tasmania all 14-year-olds are assessed in terms of literacy and numeracy (see 6.3.1). 13
Victoria
During the period 1999-2001, assessment under the Victorian Student Achievement Monitor (VSAM) programme (see above in addition) was compulsory for all students in government schools in Years 7 and 9 (ages 12-13 and 14-15 respectively). (Students may leave school at 15.) 81
When VSAM testing was replaced by Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) testing, in 2001, testing in Year 7 was initially not compulsory for all students; there was sample testing only. AIM testing - in literacy and numeracy - in Year 7 became compulsory for all students in this year group in 2003, however. The AIM website is accessible at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html.
Queensland
Under the Queensland Testing Programme, the literacy and numeracy tests for students in Year 7 (as well as for students in Years 3 and 5) take place in August. The literacy tests cover three strands:
The three strands covered by the numeracy tests are:
Both the literacy and numeracy tests comprise a test booklet and a stimulus magazine, and involve a combination of multiple choice and open-ended tasks.175
Victoria
VSAM testing (to 2001)
Under the Victorian Student Achievement Monitor (VSAM) programme (which ran during the period 1999-2001, see above), each student (in Year 7 and Year 9, ages 12-13 and 14-15 respectively) was presented with a different selection of assessment items drawn from a large, computer-based item pool, which was linked to the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF). The system matched test items to each student's working level, so that no student faced assessment which was too easy or too difficult. The selection of items for each student occured in direct response to the success rate of the answers students gave for each set of items. Assessments matched student responses to the levels of the CSF. 81
The VSAM test consisted of both multiple-choice and (open-ended) construction questions in English and mathematics. The Year 7 test covered CSF levels 3-6 and the Year 9 test covered levels 4-7 (levels 4-6+ since the introduction of the revised CSF in 2000). 71
VSAM assessments usually took place over two or three weeks for each Year group.
VSAM assessments have now been replaced by the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM).
AIM assessment - 2001 onwards
Classroom assessment is a central component of the AIM. In addition, during this phase, the statewide testing component of the AIM includes testing in English (reading, writing and spelling) and mathematics in Year 7 of compulsory education in accordance with the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan. 161 The externally-set tests are based on the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF II), the curriculum used in Victorian schools for students from Year 1 to Year 10, and comprise a series of written assessment tasks taken under the guidance of students' regular teachers. The tests are similar to regular classroom assessments and are taken during normal class time, usually during the month of August. (The school year in Australia commences in late January.) A number of Victorian schools also participate in computerised testing, known as AIM On-Line. 162 Further information on AIM testing is accessible via the AIM website at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html. Sample tests can also be accessed via this site.
National
Statements and profiles
In 1991, the Australian Education Council (AEC) (now MCETYA), comprising Commonwealth and State Ministers for Education, decided that national Statements and Profiles would be developed for the eight Key Learning Areas: the arts, English, health and physical education, languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics, science, studies of society and environment (SOSE), and technology. Statements do not prescribe a set national curriculum, nor are they intended to analyse in detail important issues of pedagogy, assessment, resources, and classroom organisation central to any curriculum, which are the responsibilities of States and Territories, professional associations, schools and individual teachers. However, Statements provide a nationally developed framework for curriculum development which can be used in conjunction with school and system policies and serve as a reference point for the design of resource materials for schools, including materials for professional development. 15
Profiles describe students' learning outcomes at different levels, and are descriptive and summative reports made against common and agreed outcomes. They have been developed to assist:
Each Profile provides a statement of outcomes across eight levels of achievement which are not age-related or year level related. Each Profile is used to inform monitoring and reporting on student achievement, assessment, and teaching and learning. It describes the progression of learning outcomes typically achieved by students during the compulsory years of schooling in each area of study. Profiles are divided into strands, usually the same as those in the Statements. 15
Queensland
In 2002, although the Queensland Studies Authority outsourced some aspects of the Years 3, 5 and 7 statewide testing programme, it retained overall responsibility for all aspects of quality assurance for the testing programme. The contracted provider for the tests was responsible for test development, provision and distribution of test materials, marking student responses and reporting results. 175
Tasmania
The Department of Education publishes a comprehensive catalogue of diagnostic tests and assessment instruments to assist teachers in assessing literacy skills and to diagnose difficulties experienced by individuals. 65
Victoria
Schools use a range of strategies for ensuring that assessment decisions are consistent between teachers. These can include:
Victorian teachers receive support to judge student achievements in Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) levels. Teachers also consider:
KIDMAP is a software programme provided by the Department of Education and Training to government primary and secondary schools to help them plan the curriculum and store assessment activities, criteria and assessment records of student performance in relation to CSF outcomes. The contexts and assessment activities within which individual students have demonstrated achievement as described in CSF outcomes can be recorded and included in reports. KIDMAP aims to help schools to make judgements about student achievement in CSF outcomes. It contains advice on reporting, a range of exemplary report formats and the ability to generate own format reports. An individual learning improvement plan can also be generated from KIDMAP for students. Profiles on individual and groups of students can be generated for teachers, parents, faculties or School Councils in the form of graphs or lists. By careful selection of Profiles, the software aims to enable teachers to analyse closely the progress or difficulties of any student or groups of students and the performance of any part of the curriculum. 637 The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) also produces advice on Preparatory to Year 12 assessment (for students aged 4/5 to 17-18) in the form of 'on balance' judgements intended to give parents, teachers and students an indication of whether the student is progressing satisfactorily. 70
AIM assessment
The Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) tests in English and mathematics for Year 7 children in Victoria are set and marked by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA).162 The AIM website is available at http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/prep10/aim/index.html
National - general
Percentage grading, letter grading, checklists of criteria and descriptive statements are all used in assessment by Australian schools, and there is no comprehensive data on what is most prevalent. It is likely, however, that five-point letter gradings, checklists of criteria and descriptive statements are preferred to percentage gradings in most systems. The changeover to reporting on outcomes (linked to Statements and Profiles) favours descriptive reporting based on stated criteria, combined with periodic standardised testing to maintain comparability of global judgements of progress. 33
National (Statements and Profiles)
When teachers record the academic performance of students for reporting purposes, they tend to score each curriculum area in relation to one of three or four 'bands', rather than in terms of a percentage or numerical mark. Teachers also use bands to score students in terms of application or effort in each area. 54 (See 5.2.4 also).
Queensland
For the Year 3, 5 and 7 Testing Programme, schools receive the following reports:
The student report provides information about the student's performance in the three strands within each test, literacy or numeracy, and the student's performance in relation to the cohort. It also gives a description of the test items and indicates which ones the student answered correctly. The class report provides an item-by-item summary of each student's responses, together with information about the performance of the cohort. The school reports give a summary of the results and show trends in student performance. The Queensland Studies Authority website provides further information: Web page.
Tasmania
Tasmanian 'Criterion Profiles' are statements showing the ratings obtained by a student on each criterion in a syllabus. They may be issued by schools for Year 9 and 10 students (aged 14-15 and 15-16 respectively). For each B Syllabus, the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA) provides Master Criterion Profiles for each school to copy and use. The TQA issues Criterion Profiles for Years 11 and 12 (students aged 16 - 17/18), B and C Syllabuses, to all students. 68
Victoria
In Victoria, students' degree of progress in each strand of the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) can be indicated on a four-point rating scale (1-4) comparing students' skills and knowledge to those described in the curriculum focus statement and learning outcomes at a level of the CSF, as follows:
The above scale is installed in KIDMAP, see 6.3.5 and some Victorian teachers find it useful when reporting student progress to parents. 80
See 6.3.2.
Queensland
The data collected from the testing of Years 3, 5 and 7 students is used to report to parents/carers, schools and systems and to report against the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. In addition, relevant data from the testing programme is used to inform the development of the Queensland Studies Authority's English and mathematics syllabuses.175
It has been announced that reports to parents on the Years 3, 5 and 7 tests are to be expanded to include information on children's performance against the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. Previously, each student's results showed how they compare to all other students in Queensland. The additional feature will allow parents to see how their child's achievement level compares against the nationally agreed minimum standards. 176
Tasmania
In Tasmania, parents are informed about their child's progress at school. 61 The student's Record of Development grows over time from Kindergarten to Year 12 (age 4+ to 17-18). It is jointly owned by the school and the student. It contains samples of work which might be chosen by either a teacher or a student or both together. It could also contain copies of recent reports by teachers to parents, and details of the attainment of intended outcomes of education. It is meant to be used by students and teachers and parents and forms a cumulative 'history and portrait' of the student. 60
The Tasmanian Record of Achievement is a collection of records which is made by senior students (in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12, ages 14-17/18) from some of the items in their Record of Development and elsewhere. Students compile different records according to their needs at the time. These needs might include showing parents the type and quality of their performance and achievement, or it may be used as part of the process of seeking employment or acceptance in further education. Items in this record can be added and deleted from time to time to suit students' purposes. 58
The Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) was introduced in 1990. It records a student's achievements in the study of secondary courses from Year 9 (age 14-15) to the time of leaving school.
When a student moves to another school, that is to say he/she changes schools before coming to the end of a specific phase, the student record card or print out (including attendance totals) should be forwarded to the new school. 64
Victoria
General reporting
| Audience | Information | Possible reporting strategy |
| Parents and caregivers | Information about their child's progress in relation to the school programme. The knowledge and skills to be attained. The standard of achievement demonstrated by the student. How they can support learning at home. |
Interviews Written reports Newsletters Communications diaries |
| Students | Ongoing feedback about their progress in relation to agreed goals. Clear direction on how to achieve the learning outcomes. |
Journal responses Conferences (formal and incidental) Written reports |
| Teachers | Information on student achievement in the outcomes. Transition records between year levels, schools and systems. |
Check lists Written/graphic summary statements Portfolios |
| Schools and systems | Information of the achievement of groups of students. An overview of student performance and patterns of particular groups. Information on intake of students. |
Summative reports Graphic analyses |
Source: VICTORIA. BOARD OF STUDIES (1996). Using the CSF: Assessment and Reporting. Carlton: Board of Studies.
In Victoria, government schools have key responsibilities in relation to assessment and reporting as follows:
AIM assessment
Parents receive details of their children's results in the Year 7 AIM English and mathematics tests. In addition, since 2003, results in AIM testing for each student have been reported against national benchmarks. League tables/school rankings are not published 162
National
One of the most marked changes during the 1980s was the increase in the proportion of students remaining in education beyond the minimum school leaving age of 15 (or 16 in Tasmania). The proportion of lower secondary students who remain until the final year of upper secondary education rose from 35 per cent in 1980 to 77 per cent in 1993. 654 The retention rates for girls to Year 12 (age 17-18) have continued to be greater than those for boys, with the difference increasing from around 5 per cent to around 10 per cent. 31
Retention rates
Apparent retention rate of full-time students from Year 7/8 into Year 12 (age 17+)
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
| 1991 | 71.3 | ||
| 1993 | 76.6 | ||
| 2000 | 72.3 | ||
| 2001 | 68.1 | 79.1 | 73.4 |
| 2002 | 75.1 | ||
| 2003 | 70.3 | 80.7 | 75.4 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics [online] at http://www.abs.gov.au
Apparent retention rate of full-time students from Year 10 to Year 12
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
| 1991 | 73.4 | ||
| 1993 | 77.5 | ||
| 2001 | 75.4 | ||
| 2003 | 72.3 | 81.6 | 76.9 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics [online] at http://www.abs.gov.au
Age participation rates, full-time students, %
| Year | 15-year-olds, Year 10 | 16-year-olds, Year 11 | 17-year-olds, Year 12 |
| 1991 | 56.9 | ||
| 1993 | 60.7 | ||
| 2001 | 93.0 | 82.4 | 62.6 |
| 2003 | 93.5 | 82.7 | 62.7 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics [online] at http://www.abs.gov.au
National targets had anticipated that, by the year 2001, 95 per cent of 19-year-olds should have completed either Year 12 of schooling (aged around 18), or an initial post-school qualification, or be participating in formally recognised education and training. 33
Year 7 (aged 12+) to Year 12 (aged 17+) retention rates for Victorian government schools increased from 69.8 per cent in 1999 to 73.7 per cent in 2001. The rate for all schools increased from 76.2 per cent to 79.3 per cent. Retention rates for Year 10 to Year 12 (aged 15+ to 17+) for Victorian government schools increased from 73.5 per cent in 1999 to 76.8 per cent in 2001, and the rate for all schools increased from 78.7 per cent to 81.6 per cent.
| Apparent retention rate Year 7 to Year 12 (aged 12+ to 17+) | Apparent retention rate Year 10 to Year 12 (aged 15+ to 17+) | |
| 1999 government schools | 69.8% | 73.5% |
| 2001 government schools | 73.7% | 76.8% |
| 1999 all schools | 76.2% | 78.7% |
| 2001 all schools | 79.3% | 81.6% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics [online] at http://www.abs.gov.au