NAPLAN testing changes revealed

NAPLAN is set for a major overhaul with a raft of changes planned to make the controversial aptitude test more “useful”.

NAPLAN testing will undergo a major overhaul.

NAPLAN will be moved to earlier in the year and given a two week turnaround, under new measures discussed in Canberra on Friday.

Teachers have long argued the controversial aptitude test takes too long to be marked for the results to be useful.

The raft of changes announced on Friday include ACARA working with jurisdictions to explore the feasibility of shifting the test as early as possible in the school year and turning around test results within two weeks.

Other changes include that testing of spelling, grammar and punctuation be separate from writing as part of the annual census-based standardised assessment program.

Schools will also be able to “opt-in” to assessments in the domains of science literacy, digital literacy and civics and citizenship annually in Year 6 and Year 10 and request ACARA further develop the proposal for the next meeting.

Assessments will remain in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 and the writing test would continue to be conducted as a census test.

Ministers also discussed progress on key national reform initiatives including the Unique Student Identifier and the Online Formative Assessment Initiative.

Discussions were also held in relation to teacher workforce issues and the Commonwealth Preschool funding proposals.

Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said the meeting was constructive with good progress on key national initiatives.

“NAPLAN has been an important tool to inform teacher practice and give guidance to parents on how their child is progressing. These incremental reforms will enhance these objectives,” Mr Tudge said.

“It will also provide more opportunities for schools to ‘opt in’ to additional assessments in the key subject areas of science, civics and digital literacy.”

In May, the Herald Sun revealed several Victorians schools sent notices to parents on tips to reduce test anxiety in children.

A petition to end NAPLAN in Victorian schools also gathered hundreds of signatures. It states the test “both ­increases student stress and undermines learning”.

Boycott NAPLAN, a ­coalition of educators and ­parents, said last year’s ­prolonged remote learning in Victoria will affect the veracity of the tests.