The National Assessment Program (NAP) is an ongoing program of assessments to monitor progress towards the Educational Goals for Young Australians. The NAP encompasses all tests endorsed by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), such as the national literacy and numeracy tests (NAPLAN), three-yearly sample assessments in science literacy, civics and citizenship, and ICT literacy, and Australia’s participation in international assessments PISA and TIMSS.
National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
NAPLAN is an annual assessment where all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in Australia complete a series of tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, punctuation and grammar) and numeracy (working effectively with numbers, space and measurement). All students in those year levels are expected to participate.
The first of the NAPLAN assessments, where students in all States and Territories sat the same tests, was held in 2008. Further information about NAPLAN, including information for parents and schools, test samples and testing timetables, is available on the NAPLAN website.
The national report on student achievement in the NAPLAN assessments are available for the following years:
Prior to 2008, national assessment in literacy and numeracy occurred through students undertaking different tests in each State and Territory that were then equated to national literacy and numeracy benchmarks.
The National Assessment Program — sample assessments
The national sample assessments test students’ skills and understanding in science literacy, civics and citizenship and information and communication technology (ICT) literacy. Only selected groups of students in Years 6 and 10 participate in these sample assessments, which are held on a rolling three-yearly basis.
Sample assessments began in 2003 with Science Literacy, followed by Civics and Citizenship in 2004 and ICT Literacy in 2005.
Further information on each of these sample assessments, including results of previous assessments, school release materials, and information on forthcoming assessments in the cycle is available at the following links:
National Assessment Program— international assessments
NAP sample assessments conducted by international organisations and used by MCEETYA for reporting key performance measures are:
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The next PISA assessment will occur in 2009. This will involve the assessment of 15 year-old students in Years 9, 10, or 11, in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. These tests will occur between July and September.
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), conducted every four years by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) tests a sample of students in Years 4 and 8 from each participating country. The next TIMSS assessment will occur in 2010. A sample of Australian students in Years 4 and 8 will participate.
The OECD and the IEA publish detailed reports on PISA and TIMSS assessment results. A summary of Australia’s performance on these assessments is also reported in the National Report on Schooling in Australia.
