© arrowsmith2 - stock.adobe.com
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">A tender for a new standardised assessment and aromatawai tool was quietly opened on Friday, 7 March, 2025, a move which has shocked educators and quickly garnered vehement opposition. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The </span><a href="https://www.gets.govt.nz/MEDU/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=31214975" target="_blank"><span data-contrast="none">request for proposals (RFP</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">) says the Ministry of Education is looking for “a long-term solution to support all schools and kura to effectively enact twice-yearly assessment of learners and is aligned to Years 3 to 10 of the new National curriculum”. The government said the new assessment would generate data to support their education target of 80 percent of Year 8 students at or above the expected curriculum level in reading by 2030.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Unlike many comparable jurisdictions, New Zealand currently has no standardised assessment tool that provides a clear view of how individual students are progressing until NCEA Level 1 (Year 11).” </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The move goes against last year’s announcement, which said that mandatory biannual testing in reading, writing and maths could be done through existing e-asTTle or Progressive Assessment Tests.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<p><span data-contrast="auto">Leanne Otene, president of the Principals Federation said the proposal was a surprise, and expressed concern that a national test could be designed by an overseas company without adequate understanding of New Zealand’s schools, culture and context. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Tests are created by jurisdictions to meet many requirements in terms of whether or not they’re culturally responsive, whether they will meet the curriculum of a particular country&#8230; so I am concerned.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Otene was also concerned the tool may be used to compare schools. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">NZEI Te Riu Roa Principals Council chair Stephanie Madden was also concerned about the possibility of using this tool to compare schools, and added twice-yearly standardised testing was “outdated and harmful” and risked narrowing teaching focus. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Moving teachers’ focus to rounds of assessments rather than catering to the needs of our diverse tamariki will end disastrously,” said Madden.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“If testing tools are developed by companies or organisations which lack an understanding of New Zealand’s unique educational landscape and cultural nuance it will be damaging.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Madden said she was “alarmed” there was no consultation with the education sector, and said any assessment should be “culturally responsive, pedagogically sound, and developed in collaboration with educators”. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">She said the union urged the Ministry to halt the proposal until consultations were made. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_28917" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-28917" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-28917" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/AdobeStock_3856129-300x201.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-28917" class="wp-caption-text">There are fears a standardised test developed by an overseas provider will be innappropriate. © Wong Hock Heng- stock.adobe.com</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Writing for </span><a href="https://theconversation.com/national-standards-by-stealth-why-the-governments-latest-plan-for-schools-might-fail-the-history-test-252917" target="_blank"><span data-contrast="none">The Conversation</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, University of Waikato academics with the School of Education, Jade Wrathall and Marta Estellés, said the tool “would essentially be a return to a form of national standards”. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">They pointed to the documented negative effects of standardised assessment like narrowed teaching focus and impacts on children’s self-esteem. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Pauline Cleaver, acting deputy secretary for the curriculum centre at the Ministry of Education, said the RFP for assessment came because it found e-asTTle was not fit for purpose. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have investigated the long-term use of e-asTTle.â¯What that showed is that the tool had technical limitations and that the content does not align to current curriculum expectations. For these reasons further investment in e-asTTle wasn&#8217;t viable and instead we are looking at the option of a new tool to meet our needs in assessing student progress against the updated national curricula.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Cleaver said the Ministry was looking for a tool that would combine the “best features” of e-asTTle but with updated technology and assessment tasks.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">She said a national or international provider would be sought that would deliver an assessment tool in both English and te reo Māori. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The Ministry would not say how much the new tool could cost but said it was “one of the most important and powerful levers available to improve the quality of information available to lifting student achievement and closing the equity gap.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Getting this right will mean that good quality data about students’ learning is available to inform teaching and learning, provide timely information to parents, whānau and caregivers, and inform decisions at every level of the education system.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Chris Darr, Council for Educational Research chief researcher said PATs were used in over half of New Zealand schools and the Ministry of Education still currently recommended them for use. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“NZCER is pleased that PATs can continue to support teaching and learning,” said Darr. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In a newsletter, Graeme Cosslett, Tumuaki at NZCER clarified the organisation is the independent owner and administrator of the PATs. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We support schools having access to multiple sources of assessment information, and consider PATs to be a robust standardised assessment option, to be used in low-stakes environments with the primary purpose of supporting teaching a learning.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Cosslett said NZCER would continue to provide and support the PATs as an option for schools across the country. NZCER is also currently developing new assessments to support “the current focal points in education”. One of these is the new PAT writing tool. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“We remain steadfastly committed to supporting all schools in Aotearoa, and our team are on hand for any enquiries you might have,” said Cosslett. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Last year, NZCER said it did not recommend a single standardised assessment, and said over-reliance on testing would lead to a narrowed curriculum focused on test preparation that could lead to security concerns and potential cheating. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Labour criticised the RFP in a press release, saying the government is “secretly” trying to reinstate standardised testing. Spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said:</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“This sort of under the table decision-making without thorough consultation with schools is concerning. Quietly expanding it to Year 9s and 10s also raises the question – what evidence is she basing these decisions on?</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Having our tamariki undergo standardised testing from a young age only fuels anxiety and stress for students and parents. It pits students against each other and only reinforces in children who don’t have the same out-of-school support that they’re not clever, or are behind other students.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Prime said she was also concerned that offshore providers would not understand the New Zealand context.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Any new testing must be transparent; schools should be consulted, and the failed experiment of national standards should remain in the past,” Willow-Jean Prime said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>

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