Monitoring Student Progress in Reading
National Assessments
In 2002, federal and state education authorities established the National Assessment Program for Australia, which has been managed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority since 2009. The program involves the following:
- A full cohort assessment of students in Grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 in literacy and numeracy, referred to as the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests
- A program of sample assessments at Grades 6 and 10 in science, civics and citizenship, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) conducted every three years
- Participation in international surveys including PIRLS, TIMSS, and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
The purpose of these programs is to report on student achievement on standardized testing to parents, teachers, and schools. They also seek to monitor the overall performance of the education system.
Australia’s National Assessment Program tests reflect an increased emphasis on accountability in education. In addition to participating in the national assessment program, state and territorial authorities conduct assessments in jurisdictions not covered by the national program.19
Individual Student Progress in Reading
School-based assessment is the most common form of assessment during the primary years, and schools regularly report to parents on student progress, using the reporting frameworks or standards developed by state and territory curriculum authorities. Teachers make judgments relative to state standards, and schools often make provisions for teachers to engage in training to achieve consistency. Judgments are based on teacher observations and assessments of classroom work over time. Some schools use a system of portfolios in which samples of student work and assessment tasks in learning areas are collected at regular intervals as evidence of development over the course of a school year or longer. Since 2006, all Australian schools have been required to use a grading system of A to E to report achievement, with ‘A’ indicating very high achievement and ‘C’ indicating satisfactory achievement.