National Standards Data as Ropey as Ever
Today’s claims by the Prime Minister about National Standards data are as ropey as the data itself, claims the President
of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, Philip Harding.
“Last year the Prime Minister acknowledged that the data was “ropey” and we are wondering what he thinks has happened to
change that in the meantime? To assert to the public that there are measurable gains in national achievement is
outrageous, given the variability of practice that exists across the country.
Evidence is starting to emerge that teachers are already “gaming” assessment tasks as the heat goes on to raise
achievement, and this is precisely the sort of unintended consequence we warned about,” he says.
The research of Professor Martin Thrupp of Waikato University’s into National Standards confirms that the data is not
national and it is not standard. He also warns that the standards are having a negative impact on the delivery of a
broadly based curriculum”.
For more information visit www.nzpf.ac.nz
ENDS