NAPLAN results withheld in dozens of schools over cheating

NAPLAN authorities have withheld test results in dozens of NSW schools who breached a number of rules including giving students extra help in the exam room or allowing more time to complete papers. SEE OUR FULL LIST OF BREACHES.

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NAPLAN authorities have withheld test results in dozens of NSW schools who breached a number of rules including giving students extra help in the exam room or allowing more time to complete papers.

Of the 90 cheating and security breaches reported to NAPLAN chiefs for the 2018 test nationally, 68 were substantiated, including 26 in NSW.

The 26 breaches occurred across 105 schools and resulted in more than 100 students having their results withheld after test data was found to be compromised.

The most serious confirmed cheating breach occurred in two NSW schools, who were found to have deliberately tried to gain an unfair advantage by providing “inappropriate assistance” to 19 students during a test.

After assessing the breach, NAPLAN “counselled” the schools to do better in the future and the compromised test data was withheld.

The incidents were the only confirmed acts of deliberate cheating nationally.

A further seven cheating reports remain under investigation.

NAPLAN authorities have withheld test results in dozens of NSW schools.

Ten students from 10 schools were impacted by a “general breach” involving the presence of unauthorised materials in the classroom during a test.

The test data of 52 NSW students from across 42 schools was found to be compromised and withheld due to incorrect procedures related to the use of a scribe.

Six students across three schools were accidentally directed to sit the same test more than once. Only “valid” test attempts were released.

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At three schools test materials were opened earlier than allowed, while 11 schools made tests public during the security period. None of the data was found to be compromised in these breaches, but schools were cautioned about their procedures.

Test papers are marked strictly confidential for two weeks after the start of NAPLAN because children sit them at different times around Australia, while students who are sick and absent on test day will do the tests later.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) said the breaches represented a small proportion of the tests sat by Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across more than 3,000 NSW schools.

In its incident report ACARA said the “majority” of substantiated breaches were reported directly to testing authorities by the schools, which showed the “significant efforts” by schools to ensure transparency.

“This is testimony to the professionalism of teachers and school administrators, this is also reflected in the growth in the number of security and general incidents reported compared to last year,” the report said.

ACARA said the number of incidents overall was “largely consistent” with previous years, but the scope of the incidents is more widespread.

“In several jurisdictions, there were incidents that occurred in numerous schools.”

ACARA chief executive David de Carvalho said the number of reported test incidents was “extremely small” and “did not affect overall NAPLAN results”.

He said the 2018 NAPLAN National Report released today showed since 2008 there have been “significant gains” particularly at the primary school level.

The report reveals Year 5 students in NSW have made the biggest gains in the past decade.

In reading the amount of students achieving at or above the minimum national standard increased from 93.5 per cent to 95.3 per cent in the ten years to 2018.

In numeracy NSW Year 5 students achieving the standard increased from 94.4 per cent to 96 per cent.

The biggest improvements in that time nationally were recorded by indigenous primary students.

In Year 3 the amount of indigenous students achieving at or above the national minimum standard jumped from 68.3 per cent in 2008 to 82 per cent in 2018.

Even with the significant increase Mr de Carvalho said it would still take until “next century” to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous students at the current rate.

PAPER TEST BREACHES

CHEATING

Incident: Inappropriate assistance provided to students during the test

Schools: 2

Students impacted:19

Result: Data compromised and withheld

SECURITY

Incident: Test materials opened earlier than allowed

Schools: 3

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Test material made public during test security period.

Schools: 11

Result: Data not compromised

GENERAL

Incident : Tests administered in incorrect order

Schools: 2

Students: one year level

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Protocols for use of a scribe not followed

Schools: 19

Students: 23

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Scribe rules not followed

Schools: 12

Students: 14

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Scribe provided for a temporary injury

Schools: 6

Students: 6

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Protocols for use of adjustment not followed

Schools: 14

Students: 14

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Unauthorised materials in test environment

Schools: 2

Students: 3

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Unauthorised materials in test environment

Schools: 6

Students: 6

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Incorrect test administration instructions given to students

Schools: 1

Students: one class

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Incorrect time provided to complete test

Schools: 1

Students: one year level

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Test administration procedures not followed

Schools: 1

Students: one class

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Invalid test booklets returned to TAA

Schools: 2

Students: 2

Result: Data compromised and withheld

ONLINE TEST BREACHES

SECURITY

Incident: Contingency test material opened without TAA approval but correct test mode still sat.

Schools: 10

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Contingency test material opened without TAA approval and incorrect test mode sat.

Schools: 2

Students: 9

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Test material made public during test security period.

Schools: 1

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Test materials not kept secure

Schools: 1

Students: 1

Result: Data not compromised

GENERAL

Incident: Tests administered in incorrect order

Schools: 12

Students: all at 8 schools, one year level at 3 schools and two students at 1 school

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Permission not sought for use of a scribe.

Schools: 1

Students: 3

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Scribe rules not followed

Schools: 2

Students: 4

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Scribe provided for a temporary injury

Schools: 2

Students: 2

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Unauthorised materials in test environment

Schools: 1

Students: 4

Result: Data not compromised

Incident: Unauthorised materials in test environment

Schools: 4

Student: 4

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Test administration procedures not followed

Schools: 1

Student: 1

Result: Data compromised and withheld

Incident: Students sat the same domain more than once

Schools: 3

Students: 6

Result: Data not compromised