A comprehensive review of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be undertaken by the Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian governments.
Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace today welcomed the collaboration at the Education Council Meeting but said she was extremely disappointed that the Federal Government was refusing to come to the party.
"NAPLAN is now in its tenth year but the Federal Government has, yet again, rejected any notion of holding a national review," Ms Grace said.
"It is not only timely but common sense that we hold an Australia-wide review, and the states and territories are frustrated that we cannot get the Federal Government to agree to one.
"That's why the Queensland, Victorian and New South Wales governments have taken the matter into our own hands and we will work together to conduct a review outside of the Education Council's endorsement.
"We will always need a standardised test to examine how we're tracking as an education system, but we need to consider what form that takes to get the best results for our students."
Ms Grace said the results of their review would be presented at a future meeting of the Education Council.
"My counterparts Sarah Mitchell in New South Whales and James Merlino in Victoria and I have chosen to take this path in the absence of leadership from the Federal Government," Ms Grace said.
"This is far too important an issue to leave to a government who simply wants to just sit on its hands."
Ms Grace said a Palaszczuk Government review had already identified a range of unintended consequences related to NAPLAN.
"Queensland's work in this area means we are already able to contribute to a tri-states review, and I again call on the Federal Government to listen to all states and territories, parents, students and teachers and commit to a comprehensive national review."
