Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Student Achievement Information --
Collection, Storage, Access and Use

Related Policies:

Privacy
Assessment
Reporting Accountabilities

Purpose:

This Policy outlines procedures for the collection, storage, access and use of
student achievement information involving external assessment data and school A-E
reporting to parents.

Definitions

'Student achievement information' is information contained on semester reports as well
as achievement data derived from external assessment/testing programs.

1. Collection of Student Achievement Information

Policy

The collection of student achievement information is to be conducted within the
framework of the System's Privacy Policy which reflects the requirements of the Privacy
Act 1988 and the Privacy (Private Sector) Amendment Act 2004.

Procedures

The student achievement information for A-E reporting will be collected from a range of
assessment activities and teacher observation of students' work.

2. Storage of Student Achievement Information

Policy

Materials and data generated from the external assessment programs and semester
reports are to be treated as secure materials, documents, files and disks.

Procedures

The Principal or nominee has the responsibility to ensure that records are stored in
accordance with Principle 4 of the Privacy Act 1988.

Principle 4 states:
"Storage and security of personal information.
A record-keeper who has possession or control of a record that contains personal information
shall ensure:
[a] that the record is protected, by such security safeguards as it is reasonable in the
circumstances to take, against loss, against unauthorised access, use, modification or
disclosure, and against other misuse; and
[b] that if it is necessary for the record to be given to a person in connection with the
provision of a service to the record-keeper, everything reasonably within the power
of the record-keeper is done to prevent unauthorised use or disclosure of information
contained in the record."

School

• All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that electronic and hard copy
  information about students' external assessment results and semester reports is
  securely stored and not misused.
• Normal practices with respect to the security of student records and delegation
  of authority should be clearly articulated in school policy statements.
• Individual student external assessment data and semester reports will be
  kept on confidential files maintained by the Principal.
• The student's results from external assessment programs and hard copies of
  semester reports need to be archived for seven years after the student has left
  school or until the student reaches 25 years of age, whichever is the greater.

School Storage of Data/Reports

System

For the CEO web based semester reporting system:

• Management and maintenance of the data base associated with the reporting
  program
• Archiving raw summary data will take place centrally at the end of December each
  year

For external assessment programs

• Electronic data will be stored securely using appropriate password protection.
  A copy on disk will be kept on confidential files maintained by the Central Registry.

School and System

• Student external assessment data and semester reports will be stored securely
  when not under the direct supervision of authorised personnel.
• Authority to access records must be clearly delegated and controlled by
  appropriate passwords.
• All confidential information should be stored securely and password protected.
  Computers should be logged off or locked when unattended.
• Loss or damage to records is to be treated as a serious occurrence. All
  instances of loss or damage to student external assessment data and materials
  as well as data contained in semester reports must be reported, in writing, to
  the Coordinator of Student Achievement at the Catholic Education Office.
  

3. Access to Student Assessment Information

Policy

Access to student achievement information will be provided to school and system
personnel who have a valid reason for the use of such data.

Procedures

School

• Principals will ensure that authorised staff members are given appropriate access to
  all school-held information so that they are able to make proper assessments of
  student performance.
• Within a school, a student’s class or subject teacher and those staff members working
  directly with a student or cohort have right of access to that student's achievement
  information on a need-to-know basis.
• Teachers will have access to the external assessment data and semester reports
  only of the class/es or cohort for which they have responsibility. If shared teaching
  and specialist teachers are employed, the Principal will provide multiple access to
  that class/cohort only.
• Teachers' semester reports should be reviewed by members of staff who exercise a
  supervisory role within the school. Such a review is designed to ensure consistency,
  accuracy and clarity.
• The Principal will provide the level of access for each staff member according to the
  access table below. The Principal, Administrator, Reviewer and Teacher have defined
  access to semester reports. These roles are set out below:
  

External tests

• For external assessment programs, the Principal will provide access for each staff
  member according to the access table below:

• School staff members responsible for processing records and compiling
  data also have right of access to records and reports of student achievement.
• Adult students and parents have right of access to their own or their
  student's records respectively.

System

• Student assessment information will be accessible to the CEO Heads of
  Division, those CEO officers directly responsible for supporting school
  development in curriculum and pedagogy, and those CEO officers responsible
  for monitoring and reporting student achievement.
• Confidential reports on particular aspects of student achievement will be
  produced annually by the CEO. Schools or individual CEO officers who need
  more information for planning purposes than is published in the reports,
  should make application to the Head of the Education Services Division or the
  Director.
  

4. Use of Student Assessment Information

Policy

CEO employees at system and school level will not publish or broadcast, or aid in the
publication or broadcast of any information on achievement which allows individual students
to be identified or which ranks schools in "league table" form.

Procedures

Whilst protecting student privacy and confidentiality, information on student achievement
contained in semester reports and external assessment programs can be used only to:

• promote student learning and link teaching and learning with student assessment
  information;
• inform parents and students of achievement;
• assist in the identification of the learning needs of particular students;
• promote whole-school approaches to improved pedagogy, assessment and reporting
  practices.

1. CEO officers will:

• Extract data to create reports;
• identify significant trends in student achievement from semester reports and
  external assessment programs;
• inform schools and CEO divisions of significant trends in student achievement;
• indicate areas for curriculum and pedagogical review and development;
• monitor and analyse student achievement information to promote consistency of
  teacher judgement and to evaluate progress in meeting identified priorities;
• identify issues which need investigation and further support;
• use student achievement data to inform the Registration process; and
• provide information about the achievements of students to state & territory authorities
  for designated programs.

2. Principals will:

• manage the confidentiality of school and student achievement records;
• make use of the student achievement information to inform pedagogy and
  assessment practices and to promote consistency of teacher judgement at the school;
• use student achievement data to inform the Registration process;
• brief Registration Panels on the use of student achievement information to inform
  strategic planning;
• work with School Boards/School Community Councils to inform the school community
  of the purposes and use of student achievement data.

3. Teachers will:

• monitor student learning as well as the effectiveness of their teaching programs and
  practices, curriculum design, record keeping and assessment tasks;
• use a variety of strategies to collect information on student achievement;
• inform students and parents of student progress;
• discuss progress with students and parents; and
• use the student achievement information for strategic planning in curriculum,
  pedagogy and improving learning outcomes for students.

Forms

Nil