NAPLAN update
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 8, 6 November 2020, page no. 15
The QTU’s message for the past few years has been clear – NAPLAN in all its forms must go.
The government’s review outlined that NAPLAN does little to assist in the learning of students and is used as a vehicle to develop league tables of schools. In general, the only people who value NAPLAN are the politicians.
The QTU has now issued a directive to ban all elements of NAPLAN in 2020/2021. This means a ban on all activities associated with NAPLAN, including ceasing:
- administration of the NAPLAN pen and paper test
- administration of the NAPLAN Online test
- participation in NAPLAN training and professional development
- participation in NAPLAN practice testing
- participation in NAPLAN load testing
- participation in NAPLAN item testing
- participation in NAPLAN school readiness testing
- participation in the self-service test window
- participation in NAPLAN data analysis/meetings outside of school hours
- any other activity involving NAPLAN in its current form, including timetabling; providing or checking student information for either the department, ESA or the QCAA; pre-test sample testing; statistical sampling – please note this is not an exhaustive list
- any activity, including those above, associated with other NAP trials.
The Union (and the Australian Professional Standards) recognise that school leaders, teachers and their school communities are best placed to know their students and how they learn. Consequently, rather than teaching to a test that contributes little to student development, schools should be given the space to determine the best learning opportunities for students.
The QTU believes that after 10 years NAPLAN has had its day. If the test is to be replaced, its replacement should be developed by teachers following broad consultation and should only be administered as a sample test.
The days of high stakes testing should be over – there is no time or space in the curriculum or teacher workload to continue with an outdated, overrated form of assessment.