1. Pressing national issues and how principals should respond? Barry McGaw Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne Chair, Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Association of Independent Schools of South Australia Adelaide, 11 March 2011

2. Outline of presentation International indicators of educational performance  Quality  Equity Improving Australian educational performance  Contribution of reform  Contribution of indicators  Role of the My School website Minimising risk of perverse impact of indicators

3. International indicators of educational performance

4. Quality of students’ achievements

5. Mean reading results (PISA 2000) Australia tied for 2 nd with 8 others among 42 countries. OECD (2003), Literacy skills for the world of tomorrow: Further results from PISA 2000, Fig. 2.5, p.76.

6. Australia’s ranking in OECD/PISA Reading Reading ranks  PISA 2000: 4 th but tied for 2 nd  PISA 2003: 4 th but tied for 2 nd  PISA 2006: 7 th but tied for 6 th Finland Korea Canada NZ Hong Kong PISA 2006 Korea Canada NZ Hong Kong Finland PISA 2000 Ahead of Australia Same as Australia PISA 2003 Behind Australia Finland Korea Canada NZ Hong Kong

7. Trends in reading performance Australia Finland Hong Kong Canada New Zealand Korea Poland

8. Trends in Australian reading performances 95 th %ile OECD (2007), PISA 2006: science competencies for tomorrow’s world, Vol. 1 - analysis, Fig. 6.21, p.319. 5 th %ile 90 th %ile 10 th %ile 75 th %ile 25 th %ile Mean

9. Australia’s ranking in mathematics and science Mathematics PISA 20006thamong 42 countries but tied for3rd PISA 200311thamong 40 countries but tied for5th PISA 200613thamong 57 countries but tied for9th Science PISA 20008thamong 42 countries but tied for3rd PISA 20036thamong 40 countries but tied for4th PISA 20068thamong 57 countries but tied for4th

10. Equity in students’ achievements

11. Social gradients for science (PISA 2006) OECD (2007) PISA 2006: science competencies for tomorrow’s world, Vol 1 – analysis, Figure 4.6, p.184. High quality Low equity High quality High equity Low quality Low equity Low quality High equity

12. SES-science correlations (PISA 2006) OECD (2007) PISA 2006: science competencies for tomorrow’s world, Vol 1 – analysis, Figure 4.6, p.184. High quality Low equity High quality High equity Low quality Low equity Low quality High equity

13. Variation in reading performance (PISA 2000) Variation of performance between schools Variation of performance within schools OECD, UNESCO (2003), Literacy skills for tomorrow’s world: further results from PISA 2000, Table 7.1a, p.357.

14. Variation in reading performance (PISA 2000) Variation explained by social background of students Variation of performance within schools OECD, UNESCO (2003), Literacy skills for tomorrow’s world: further results from PISA 2000, Table 7.1a, p.357. Variation not explained by social background of students 68%32%

15. The storyline so far… Messages from international indicators  Quality is high in Australian schools but slipping relatively and to some extent absolutely  Equity is relatively low & schools contribute to this

16. Improving Australia’s educational performance.

17. Improving Australia’s educational performance Contribution of reform  National curriculum  Teacher and school development Contribution of indicators  National Assessment Program (NAP) Sample-based surveys  Science  ICT Literacy  Civics and citizenship Full-cohort assessments  Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) My School website

18. Development of the national curriculum

19. Curriculum development process20082009201020112012 Shape Papers Interim National Curriculum Board established Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority established K-10 English, Mathematics, Science, History Revisions and consultation Preparation for implementation Draft out for comment Implementation Other subjects following

20. Sequence of curriculum development Phase 1  English, mathematics, science, history Phase 2  Geography, languages other than English, the arts Phase 3  Economics, business, civics and citizenship, health and physical education, design and technology, information and communications technology

21. General issues faced Getting the model right – ‘learning entitlements’  Disciplines with specifications of content  General capabilities  Current priorities to ensure coverage Getting the content right  Developmental sequences  Avoiding too much differentiation Dealing with interstate differences  In style of curriculum  In extent of centralisation Matching the best in the world www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

22. Development of schools and teachers

23. Improving Australia’s educational performance Contribution of reform  National curriculum  Teacher and school development Contribution of indicators  National Assessment Program (NAP) Sample-based surveys  Science  ICT Literacy  Civics and citizenship Full-cohort assessments  Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) My School website (www.myschool.edu.au)www.myschool.edu.au

24. The storyline so far… Messages from international indicators  Quality is high in Australian schools but slipping relatively and, to some extent, absolutely  Equity is relatively low & schools contribute to this Improving Australian education  Curriculum reform Defining clear learning entitlements Setting high expectations for all  Teacher development  Use of ‘fair’ comparisons among schools Learning from others doing better in similar circumstances

25. Minimising the risk of perverse impact of indicators.

26. Minimising risk of perverse consequences Ensuring appropriateness of NAPLAN tests  Preparing students for tests Ensuring familiarity is all that practice can add  Literacy and numeracy are developed in full curriculum  Broadening the literacy and numeracy tests Test a broader range of content and skills Have different students take different tests  Curriculum provides public declaration of students’ full learning entitlements Ensuring appropriateness of like-school comparisons  Socio-educational advantage without ecological fallacy  Taking account of special sub-populations in schools

27. The full storyline Messages from international indicators  Quality is high in Australian schools but slipping relatively and, to some extent, absolutely  Equity is relatively low & schools contribute to this Improving Australian education  Curriculum reform Defining clear learning entitlements Setting high expectations for all  Teacher development  Use of ‘fair’ comparisons among schools Learning from others doing better in similar circumstances Balancing benefits and risks

28. barry.mcgaw@mcgawgroup.org www.acara.edu.au