Primary

External test data refers to the Australian Capital Territory ACT Assessment Program ( ACTAP).

1. The reporting of external test data is governed by the following principles:

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 securely filed.

5. The external tests are embedded in the primary curriculum and are reported in ways which guide 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. The Principal, in collaboration with the School Board, is responsible for ensuring that the results are not used for promoting of the school.

8. Principals will work with the teachers, 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. Schools must not aggregate the results of individual strands to calculate an overall measure of school performance.

10. Test results will not be used publicly to advertise or denigrate students, schools, teachers or Principals.

11. Student achievement data will not be used to identify and compare individual students, compare individual teachers, schools or education sectors.

Secondary

External test data refers to the Australian Capital Territory ACT Assessment Program ( ACTAP), and Year 12 Certificate

1. The reporting of Australian Capital Territory Assessment Program (ACTAP), and Year 12 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 results.

2. Any use of Australian Capital Territory Assessment Program (ACTAP), and Year 12 Certificate data must take into account limitations imposed by the size of the group and the mobility of students.

3. Student achievement data will not be used to identify and compare individual students, individual teachers, schools or education sectors.

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

5. Catholic Education employees at system and school level, will not publish or broadcast or aid in the publication of broadcast of any information or achievement which allows comparison between individual students who can be identified or which will allow schools to be ranked. Accordingly, schools are advised to use Student IDs when publicizing senior student rankings as required by the Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) policy. However, publication of individual student results is possible in particular circumstances with student permission (see above).

6. Individual student results must be kept confidential at all times, securely filed and may not be reported in any form other than to parents/carers/guardians.

7. Schools must not aggregate the results of individual strands on the ACTAP test to calculate an overall measure of school performance.

8. Many factors should be considered in evaluating teaching quality and school effectiveness. Australian Capital Territory Assessment Program (ACTAP), and Year 12 Certificate data alone are not valid indicators. No simple conclusions can be drawn between individual student achievement data, teaching quality and school effectiveness.

9. The Principal, in collaboration with the School Board, is responsible for ensuring that the results are not used for promoting the school.

10. Principals will work with teachers, 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. In schools with small enrolments in a year or course or in the Australian Capital Territory Assessment Program (ACTAP), and Year 12 Certificate special care must be taken with the use of data to ensure individual students are not identified.