Moved:

That Executive notes with concern the publication of league tables in both the print and electronic media following the launch of the MySchool website by ACARA.

Executive condemns the behaviour of those in the media who have sought to misuse the MySchool data for sensationalist, opportunistic reporting.

The Executive also notes with disappointment the particular focus placed on independent schools in particular by both the Chair of ACARA and the media.

The Executive remains concerned about the quality and presentation of student data on the MySchool website, the validity of the ICSEA as an identifier of like schools and the nonsensical grouping of many schools in the ‘Like Schools’ website listings.

Accordingly, the Executive calls on ACARA to immediately undertake a formal review of the MySchool website including an examination of the ICSEA.

The Executive requests that:

·         the current ‘Like Schools’ comparisons be removed until further validation of ICSEA. 

·       following a review of the ICSEA proxy that the Index be used as a point of comparison rather than a ‘sorting’ mechanism.

·        reporting of students’ average scores be replaced with a graphical representation of relative performance or an alternative proxy such as percentage achievement above minimum benchmarks

·         schools with less than 15 students in the NAPLAN cohort not have student data reported  in any comparative measures

The Executive calls on ACARA to negotiate with the IEUA  on the appropriateness of and the development of appropriate protocols for the collection and reporting of school information in relation the ‘value-added’ results, school resourcing data and any proposed ‘satisfaction’ survey.