Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

Protocols for the analysis and Reporting of External testing Data

Primary

External test data refers to the results from Basic Skills Testing and Primary Writing Assessment

1. The reporting of external test data is governed by the Education Reform Regulations 1996 .

1. The results of external testing must not be publicly revealed if the results relating to particular children are revealed.
2. However, the results relating to a particular child may be revealed:
   • to the child;
   • to the child's parents;
   • to the child's teacher; and
   • to the Principal of the school in which the child is enrolled and, if the child was enrolled at some other school at the time the tests were conducted, to the Principal of that other school.
3. The results of testing must not be publicly revealed in a way that ranks or otherwise compares the results of particular schools.

2. Any use of test data must take into account limitations imposed by the size of the group and the mobility of students.

3. The Catholic Education Office rejects as educationally inappropriate and misleading the production or publication of “League Tables” of any type.

4. Individual student results must be kept confidential at all times and filed securely.

5. The external tests are embedded in the primary curriculum and are reported in ways which direct teachers to appropriate teaching and learning activities for students.

6. Many factors should be considered in evaluating teaching quality and school effectiveness. External test data alone is not a valid indicator. No simple conclusions can be drawn between individual student achievement data, teaching quality and school effectiveness.

7. In schools with small enrolments in a particular grade, special care must be taken with the use of data to ensure individual students are not identified.

8. Teachers, Principals and other Catholic Education staff will ensure that information about student achievement is not misused.

9. Reporting of student achievement, including that in the School Annual Report, must include an appropriate balance of both qualitative and quantitative data and communicate clearly and directly the meaning of that data.

10. Principals will work with the School Board and parents to ensure that the purposes and uses of student achievement data are meaningful and understood by the school community.

11. Test results are to be used in a way which takes account of social justice to ensure that unfair labelling and/or unfair comparison of particular groups of students or groups of schools does not occur.

12. Catholic Education Office employees at system and school level, will not publish or broadcast, or aid in the publication or broadcast, of any information or achievement which allows comparison between individual students who can be identified or which will allow schools to be ranked in any publication or broadcast.

Secondary

1. The reporting of English Language and Literacy Program (ELLA), Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP), School Certificate and Higher School Certificate data must respect the confidentiality of individual student results. Special permission must be gained from the student in relation to the publication of his/her Higher School Certificate Results.

2. Any use of English Language and Literacy Program (ELLA), Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP), School Certificate and Higher School Certificate data must take into account limitations imposed by the size of the group and the mobility of students.

3. The Catholic Education Office rejects as educationally inappropriate and misleading the production or publication of “League Tables” of any type.

4. Catholic Education employees at system and school level, will not publish or broadcast, or aid in the publication or broadcast, of any information or achievement which allows comparison between individual students who can be identified or which will allow schools to be ranked in any publication or broadcast.

5. Many factors should be considered in evaluating teaching quality and school effectiveness. English Language and Literacy Program (ELLA), Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP), School Certificate and Higher School Certificate data alone are not valid indicators. No simple conclusions can be drawn between individual student achievement data, teaching quality and school effectiveness.

6. Teachers, Principals and other Catholic Education staff will ensure that information about student achievement is not misused.

7. Reporting of student achievement must include an appropriate balance of both qualitative and quantitative data and communicate clearly and directly the meaning of that data.

8. Principals will work with the School Board and parents to ensure that the purposes and uses of student achievement data are meaningful and understood by the school community.

9. In schools with small enrolments in a year or course or in the English Language and Literacy Program (ELLA) or the Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) tests, special care must be taken with the use of data to ensure individual students are not identified.

10. Test results are to be used in a way which takes account of social justice to ensure that unfair labelling and/or unfair comparison of particular groups of students or groups of schools does not occur.

Adapted from protocols agreed between the Department of Education (DET) and the NSW Teachers Federation, 1997

Reporting of External Data in Annual NSW School Reports

The school's Annual Report will be the responsibility of the Principal and will be produced in collaboration with the staff, parents, students and the School Board.

1.  Every school will produce an Annual Report.

2.  The Annual Report will be written within a framework provided by the Catholic Education Office and will provide a balanced, open and genuine account of the school's achievements and areas for development.

3.  Annual Reports draw on the full range of empirical evidence, including the results of external examinations, and observation to provide substance and validation for the report and its conclusions. Reports are to provide an appropriate balance of strengths and areas for future emphasis in relation to the school.

4. Copies of the school's Annual Report will be available to each family in the school. Copies will be available on request from the relevant authorities. The Annual Report will be available on the school's website.

5. The Annual Report document will be the basis for discussion of the school's achievements, areas for development and targets at an adequately promoted school community meeting which is to be convened annually by the Principal.

Advice to School on the Nature and Language of Reports

1. The analysis and reporting of student achievement data will be consistent with the protocols.

2. The reports must communicate the school's achievements in a balanced, open and genuine way to the particular community of the school. Where necessary, interpreting services should be arranged to facilitate discussion of the Annual report in languages other than English.

3. The School Board should have available all relevant data, provided that the privacy and confidentiality of individual students is preserved.