Like apples and oranges naplan results don't show full picture

Description

An education expert has warned against jumping to conclusions about a school based on its NAPLAN results.  

Key points:

• NAPLAN results are out for the first time in two years, after COVID disrupted the 2020 test 
• For the first time, school data can be compared with other "similar" schools 
• Educators say there is nothing definitive about the results, as each school is unique

 

The national data was released this week, allowing anyone to go online to see how students in different schools were faring in reading, writing, and numeracy.

Each student gets a detailed individual report, but the results online show broad data for each school with boxes lighting up green if they are above the national average and red if they are below.

"The publishing online takes them out of context, so it makes it very difficult for a community member or even myself to look those up and form any professional assessment," said Paul Grover, a former teacher and now lecturer in Education at Charles Sturt University in Albury.