Myschool NSW: The Trouble with NAPLAN

The debate surrounding the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has been ongoing for years. As parents, we crave a clear indication of our children's progress in their learning. However, a closer look at the data reveals that NAPLAN scores may not be as precise as they seem.

By way of illustration, Figure A is based on performance on the 2016 Year 7 Grammar and Punctuation test: in this case, the student has achieved a score of 615, placing them in the middle of Band 8. This leads to a lot of what statisticians call 'measurement error'. The NAPLAN tests ask a relatively small number of questions in each section, sections that are then used to estimate a child's performance for each (very large) assessment area.

Margaret Wu, a world-leading expert in educational measurement and statistics, has done excellent sustained work over a number of years on what national testing data can and cannot tell us. Her work demonstrates that while parents are provided with an indication of their child's performance that looks very precise, the real story is quite different.

In fact, a technical report issued by ACARA each year suggests something quite different from the communication of results to parents. So, what's the trouble with NAPLAN? First, there's the question of accuracy. But the question remains as to whether NAPLAN is the best way to achieve this.

The recent delay in the publication of the 2018 NAPLAN data on the My School website has sparked further debate about the effectiveness of the program. In May this year, the NSW Minister for Education, Rob Stokes, called for the 'urgent dumping' of NAPLAN. This comes after a surprise call from the then Federal Minister for Education, Simon Birmingham, who argued that parents like NAPLAN.

The controversy surrounding NAPLAN is not new. The Education Council, comprised of all Ministers of Education from Australian states and territories, ordered a review of NAPLAN data presentation in 2018. This review has been met with skepticism by many, who argue that the program is flawed and does more harm than good.

As parents, it's understandable that we seek a clear indication of our children's progress. However, it's essential to look beyond the surface-level scores and consider the underlying issues with NAPLAN. By doing so, we can work towards creating a more effective and accurate way to measure student performance.

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