mmmm, where does one begin?

Teacher appraisal exists, its in two parts. One, annual performance review and,two, end of year results.

Secondly, NAPLAN provides a snapshot of literacy levels in a particular school at a particular point in the year. How does that give an overall understanding of the quality of the teaching, particularly with the notion of 'teaching to the test' and don't think it won't happen.

The number of hits on the website says nothing about support.

The process of league tables and linking funding to them has been a disaster everywhere else, do you honestly think it will be different here?

vetti I ask again: what valuable information, if any, does NAPLAN provide?
"The number of hits on the website says nothing about support."
So why are there millions of "hits" on the MySchool website if the persons accessing the site do not consider the information is of some value? If the site is not worth supporting then nobody would visit it.

Vetti - I dare say many would disagree with you on the linkage of results and funding being a disaster.
However, I thought the article was about WHY there needed to be a boycott - not, 'the Federal Government is being a big meanie'...

The whole situation has been brewing for many years. The problem here is not Teachers. I have found the teachers at my school to be fantastic and hard working in an under resourced workplace full of pressure. Teachers are politically pressured by the department, hassled by parents and so poorly represented by their union it's not funny. Have you heard the latest teachers federation ad? They actually say that teachers dumb down our kids to get better results on the NAPLANs. What an insult to teachers. The problem is a union that needs breaking so accountability in schools, teaching and education can be introduced and we can take our schools into the 21st century from the 19th. Government needs to face the truth that school are dreadfully under resourced. The guide lines are so tight for integration funding for children with disabilities that teachers are required to handle children that used to be in special ED schools in a main stream class. One of these kids can need hours of one on one every day. I have seen parents desperately changing schools looking for more and finding they can not find it. Politicians have their role to play here and that is they need to stop using education as an election lever. Last week our local member was involved in an interview with a popular radio personality and bagged our school for political gain. Don't worry about "MY SCHOOL" hurting the moral of schools the government, unions and a useless P&C do that all on their own. It's time they all pulled their heads in and worked together.

To repeat, NAPLAN gives a snapshot of the current standard of literacy at that point. This doesn't automatically give a standard of education.

As soon as you link NAPLAN results to funding you get the situation that exists in the UK and USA where people teach to the test, and exactly how that is a great educational outcome escapes me.

The point I am trying to make, is that NAPLAN or league tables will not improve education, more resources, spread more equally will.

Students will be taught to the test when they enter the workforce. To get certificates and licenses to operate equipment, and to even pass an indoctrination to enter some workplaces, THEY WILL BE TAUGHT TO THE TEST.

It will become a sudden surprise for many.

Odd how the schools (under the “guidance” of the teacher’s union) have rejected the Myschool website, but the universities have welcomed a similar website proposed for universities.

The public does not vote for the teachers union, and if the teacher’s union boycotts the Naplan tests, then it will cost the taxpayer a considerable amount of money.

I hope the teacher’s union has that money available to pay it back to the taxpayer.