Government move allows league tables

The NSW government has introduced a bill into the lower house of NSW Parliament which will enable the publication of league tables ranking schools based on test results.

By over-turning an existing regulation, it will lead to the creation of rankings of performance in national tests in primary and secondary schools (NAPLAN) as well as, potentially, School Certificate and Higher School Certificate results.

The regulation, which has been in place since 1997 'prevents the publication of school test results in a manner that ranks or otherwise compares the results of individual schools. It also protects the publication of results that reveal the results of particular students without their consent.'

This regulation will be overturned unless the government's Bill is voted down in the Legislative Council (Upper House). The government can be out-voted in the Upper House.

Last week Australia's education ministers decided to overthrow an ethical principle which was adopted in July 2008. It stated that with respect to the reporting of test data there should be 'the avoidance of harm to members of the community: this could occur where the privacy of individuals would be compromised or where the reputation of an institution or group of people would be damaged through the publication of misleading information or stereotyping.'

The government is pretending that they will not be responsible for league tables appearing. It claims it will be at arms-length by merely providing the data to the federal government. The federal government intends that the data then be published on a central website. In a matter of moments media outlets will be able to organise the data electronically in order to publish league tables. This has already been done by the Courier Mail in Queensland and the Hobart Mercury in Tasmania.

Members of State Parliament, particularly Opposition members will be lobbied to reject the legislation in the Upper House.

Send an e-mail protest to your MP

League Tables are a mistake - Education Online

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Last Modified: 21 Jun 2009