Queensland (QLD)

Standards and Benchmarking

• 1. What does your state/territory understand by the terms standards and benchmarking?

  Background

  The Queensland School Curriculum Council uses the terms standards and benchmarking in particular contexts. In the case of the term standards, it is used in the context of Student Performance Standards and also in the context of Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment. Student Performance Standards was a reporting framework developed by Education Queensland in 1994 and based on the earlier development of the National Statements and Profiles through the Curriculum Corporation. In 1995, Student Performance Standards in Mathematics were used to assign levels of performance to students’ work in three strands of mathematics. Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment is the system of externally-moderated school-based assessment adopted by the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies.

  In the case of the term benchmarking (or benchmarks), it is used in the context of National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks. Formulated and approved by the Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) in July 1996 as a key feature of a National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, these benchmarks articulate "nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards for literacy (and numeracy) at Years 3, 5 and 7." In Queensland, these benchmarks are used in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7 thus enabling the reporting of state-based student achievement data against common standards to the Australian community through the National Report on Schooling.

  Definitions of Terms
  

  Standards (Student Performance Standards) are descriptions of expected levels of performance of students at particular stages in the schooling process.

  Standards (Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment) are descriptions of levels or degrees of achievement in relation to exit criteria that are linked to the objectives and content specified in a syllabus.

  Benchmarks are standards of performance.

  Benchmarks (National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks) are descriptions of nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards of literacy and numeracy performance at Years 3, 5 and 7.

   

• 2. How are standards and benchmarks currently applied in your state/territory? (current practice)

  Student Performance Standards are no longer used in Queensland. The Queensland School Curriculum Council is currently developing syllabuses for each of the nationally agreed key learning areas. These syllabuses specify learning outcomes (core and discretionary) for a number of strands and levels. Standards have been established thus:

  Typically students:

  • at the end of Year 3 are achieving at Level 2;
  • at the end of Year 5 are achieving at Level 3;
  • at the end of Year 7 are achieving at Level 4; and
  • at the end of Year 10 are achieving at Level 6 or beyond.

  The National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks are used in Queensland in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7.

   

• 3. Briefly outline the work being done in the area of standards and benchmarking in your state/territory.

  As indicated above, the Queensland School Curriculum Council is continuing to develop syllabuses for each of the nationally agreed key learning areas. These syllabuses specify learning outcomes for a number of strands and levels. The Council is also continuing to use the National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7.

Middle Years of Schooling (Years 5 to 8)

Officers of the Council have been involved in middle schooling initiatives over the past few years including the National Middle Schooling Project (completed in 1997) and the establishment of the Queensland based Middle Years of Schooling Association in 1999.

• 1. How does your state/territory define the 'middle years'?

  Queensland School Curriculum Council: For the purposes of the Queensland School Curriculum Council’s Middle Years of Schooling Forum the middle years are considered to be Years 5 to 10 (typically students are aged 10—15 years).

  Education Queensland has no approved definition for "middle years".

   

• 2. What initiatives/programs are currently being implemented in the 'middle years' in your state or territory?

Queensland School Curriculum Council: The Council is conducting a Middle Years of Schooling Forum (May-June 2000) to determine how curriculum and tests can be better developed for young adolescents. A copy of the forum background paper is attached.

Education Queensland: Under school-based management, change is being implemented at school level and reflects local needs.

Middle Years of Schooling Association: Conference held 10—11 March 2000.

 

• 3. What are some of the current issues being addressed in your state/territory?

Queensland School Curriculum Council: Curriculum and testing needs of young adolescents are issues being explored through the Council’s Middle Years of Schooling Forum.

Education Queensland: Middle years of schooling issues are addressed at school level.

Vocational Learning

Background

The Queensland School Curriculum Council’s role and functions are oriented towards curriculum development in the eight key nationally agreed learning areas and test development in the cross-curricular priority areas of literacy and numeracy.

In 1997, the Council conducted a forum involving representatives of business and industry from Brisbane and a number of other centres in Queensland to address issues of common interest. Participants in the forum responded to a series of key questions. The responses are summarised in Interlink No 6, October 1997, a copy of which is attached.

In 1998, the Council was requested to address the issue of work education during the compulsory years of schooling. A position paper was prepared and endorsed by the Council. The position paper will be used as a means of ensuring that work education is appropriately addressed in all future curriculum and test development activities of the Council. A copy of the position paper is attached.

• 1. What does your state/territory understand by the terms:
  vocational learning and
  structured workplace learning
  

  In the Queensland education system, vocational learning and structured workplace learning are defined in terms similar to those proposed by the MCEETYA Taskforce.

• 2. What initiatives/programs are being planned or implemented in your state/territory in vocational learning and structured workplace learning and in what years?
  

  Of the 1999 cohort of school leavers, 22% of students completed an AQF Certificate I and 17.6% of students exited with a Certificate II recorded on their Senior Certificate. In addition, nearly 30% of students eligible for an Overall Position (OP — tertiary entrance rank) had at least one VET result recorded on their Senior Certificate, and almost half of all students who received a Senior Certificate completed at least one VET competency. Of the OP-eligible students engaged in SATs, over 40% were awarded OPs in the top half of the student distribution.

  The numbers of SAT commencements in Queensland in 1999 was nearly 2300 (of whom 80% attended state schools), which constituted more than half of the national total. Co-operative partnerships with the Department of Employment, Training and industrial Relations ensured that industrial relations issues were expedited to enable this reform agenda process to progress smoothly and quickly.

  The extend to which vocational learning has been generally embraced in Queensland ifs reflected in these figures, as is the extend to which VET has been accepted by students who are eligible for tertiary entrance. The growing number of students choosing to combine traditional academic subjects with VET courses ideally places our students for the changing work and study patterns of the future.

  Vocational learning in the compulsory years can be accessed through the key competencies embedded in all recently developed subjects, through work experience, and through access to career guidance and life skills programs.

  A significant and increasing number of Queensland schools participate in national enterprise education programs, including Australian Business Week, Young Achievement Australia, E-Teams, Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition and Enterprise Day initiatives.

  In addition, specific enterprise educational skills and competencies are now being incorporated into new and developing curriculum areas, e.g. the Syllabus for the Years 1 to 10 Technology key learning area and the new Certificate II in Workplace Practices course for secondary students.

• 3. What is the rationale for having vocational learning and structured workplace learning in the compulsory years?
  

  A joint policy statement in February 2000 by the Queensland Ministers for Education and Employment, Training and Industrial Relations outlined two key goals to be pursued in Queensland schools. These were increased qualification attainment and improved completion of secondary schooling.

  The statement proposed three pathways through which VET can be included in the post-compulsory school curriculum so that these goals can be achieved. These VET pathways are: through the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies (BSSSS) VET subjects; through school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SATs); and through undertaking National Training Package and Product qualifications outside BSSSS subjects.

• 4. How are the vocational learning initiatives/programs in the compulsory years linked to those in the post compulsory years?
  

  See (2) above.

• 5. How might any issues identified in the middle years of schooling (see 3. above in Middle Years of Schooling) impact on vocational learning in Years 9 and 10? What are the curriculum implications?
  

  The Queensland School Curriculum Council is currently engaged in a consultation process to determine the nature and scope of curriculum and assessment — related to issues arising from a consideration of the needs, interests and activities of students in the middle years of schooling. This process (known as the Middle Years of Schooling Forum) will be completed by September 2000 at which stage a report will be prepared for the consideration of the Council.

Reporting at the End of the Compulsory Years

Background

In Queensland responsibility for reporting in the compulsory years of schooling rests with the school authorities both individual and systemic. The Queensland School Curriculum Council’s responsibility is limited to providing (in its syllabuses) principles and guidelines for assessment.

• 1. What is the purpose of internal (i.e. by schools) reporting in the compulsory years in your state/territory?

  The purposes of internal (school-based) reporting in the compulsory years of schooling are "accountability" and "continuous improvement". Generally, schools report to parents on a regular basis about student performance standards, and to their school communities through annual reports that also refer to student performance standards as well as other aspects of school development, organisation and administration. At the end of the compulsory years of studying (Year 10) schools may choose to issue and "official" Year 10 certificate (prepared by Education Queensland) or their own school reports.

• 2. What is the purpose of external (i.e. by systems/Board/Council) reporting in the compulsory years in your state/territory? (if any)

  The purposes of external reporting in the compulsory years of schooling are "accountability" and "continuous improvement". Prior to 1987, Junior Certificates were issued by the then Board of Secondary School Studies to students who successfully completed junior secondary school studies by the end of Year 10. Following the abolition of these certificates, the Department of Education (Education Queensland) proposed an "official’ Year 10 certificate that could be issued by schools, both government and non-government, if they chose to do so. Schools that do not choose to do so, may issue their own school reports.

  The Queensland school Curriculum Council reports annually to the Minister on Years 3, 5 and 7 performance standards in aspects of literary and numeracy. The Department (Education Queensland) and the statutory authorities including the Queensland School Curriculum Council (P—10) report to the Minister and to the Parliament through annual reports. The Department and other school authorities also provide a range of data for incorporation in the Annual National Report on schooling in Australia.

• 3. What information is currently provided through External Reporting in the Compulsory Years of Study

  Information provided through external reporting includes:

  • Years 3, 5 and 7 student performance standards in aspects of literacy and numeracy (Reading, Viewing, Writing, Spelling, Number, Measurement and Data, and Space)
  • Student performance on the Year 2 Diagnostic Net (Reading, Writing and Number).
• 4. How is the information Reported?

  In the case of Years 3, 5 and 7, student performance standards in aspect of literacy and numeracy, this information is reported through (a) individual student reports, (b) class and school reports, (c) systemic (state, Catholic and independent) reports, and (d) a report to the Minister for Education.

  State schools report the results of the Year 2 Diagnostic Net to Education Queensland. These results form the basis of allocation of funding to provide additional support for identified students.

• 5. What agency is responsible for external reporting?

  In the case of Years 3, 5 and 7, student performance standards in aspect of literacy and numeracy, the agency responsible for reporting is the Queensland School Curriculum Council.

  Schools are responsible for reporting student performance on the Year 2 Diagnostic Net to their school authority.