Jennifer A – you will need to be more specific as to why you do not consider it possible to compare schools statistically if you want people to listen to you. Just stating that you are ‘unconvinced’ or that overseas studies ‘seem to concede’ doesn’t do much for me. Does statistical analysis support your opinion? I am not necessarily disagreeing with you but you have not offered any actual evidence to support your arguments.

Why do you think that the system is ‘open to corruption”? I am assuming that the data will be handled by competent statisticians. Have you reason to think otherwise? I agree that wrong or incomplete information is worse than no information at all and this must be avoided. This is one reason why we need more reliable information than we get already – ie. HSC merit scores and word of mouth.

I would like to know why you consider parents too stupid to be able to interpret the data in context.

It is ridiculous to equate comparisons between schools with publicly ranking individual children. You are confusing two separate issues.

Also you said that “statistical data used inappropriately is a dangerous tool”. By the same token statistical data used appropriately is a very useful tool.

As I said before I am not necessarily doubting your judgement – in fact we are relying on teachers to a fair degree to make sure the system operates properly and to highlight the problems. However you need to make sure your objections are based on real issues with evidence to support them and not just the typical negative reaction to any attempts at government or parental interference.

Just wanted to show you how important it is that school reports clearly show what level our children are functioning at. If you go to http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/2006/02/documents_in_re.html in the 4th last paragraph I post a copy of my daughters school report and achievement award that was presented to the Opportunity Class Appeals panel in support of my daughters high achievement and a copy of the Minutes of Appeal headed by the Manager of the Educational Measurement Directorate of the NSW Department of Education.

You will not that the Leader of the Educational Measurement Directorate of the Department of Education, who are the ones that measure our children’s ability, said in the minutes of the meeting that my daughters school reports did not show outstanding ability!

That is what needs to be addressed, if there is no percentage mark or levels clearly shown, what’s to stop those in the system from misrepresenting your child?

If the link doesn't work you can go to my blog called "Education - Keeping them Honest" http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/
and go to Categories on right in the History of Complaints section and find the heading "Documents in relation to Complaint and Latest OC Application" it the 13th post from the top.

Jolanda

I don't doubt that your concerns with the treatment you have received regarding your application on behalf of your daughter are valid. I congratulate you on the effort you have put in to support her future opportunities and would not question you will have got 'the run-around' from the bureauracracy. However I think you miss the point of the original article, which addressed the appraisal of a whole school, not an individual.

To other respondents,

An assumption, raised already, of the original article seemed to be the inevitability that data would be invalid, corrupted, misinterpreted or misused. Of course this is directed not to the data per se but to those who gather, present or analyse it, their needs and motives. This does not undermine the importance of public reporting but does highlight that much of the information will be unaudited. Any person using corruptible data or (possibly-biased) written reports to analyse a school, to decide whether to enrol a student there, should treat it with the scepticism it deserves.

Notwithstanding, the fundamental goal for the school for producing the report will have been achieved. Under the act, the schools will get their funding regardless of the performance quality. All they are really required to do is to deliver compliant reports, distributed in two forms, once each year.

From another perspective, it may be that a chronically poor performance, that is attributed to causes beyond the influence of a school's administration (eg local socio-economic demographics), will be a basis for gaining additional funding, to correct for the disadvantages.

Brisbane

I am glad to hear that there are others out there that can see problems/issues with my daughter’s application/appeal. This is why transparency in Education is needed. If they can show bias and victimization towards a student, what’s or who’s to stop them from targeting or having bias against a teacher/school.

There are some schools that I am sure the Government would just love to see fail so that they can sell them off. If bureaucrats have the power to make the decisions and access to marks/documents and they can do whatever they want and they don’t have to answer to anyone, then that’s a pretty powerful position to be in!.

I can understand why schools would not want to get assessed. Many public schools have had the power stripped from them, they have been under-funded and neglected, they have deteriorated and now they are going to be exposed and judged!

Otherwise, I think that children shouldn’t even be ranked from school unless they want to compete. Children should progress through school at a pace, manner and level that is suitable and appropriate for them.

If a student wants to compete in academic competition they should have to apply for that pathway with no testing to get in, just the application and ability to learn fast. Achievement testing for the pathway should be assessed externally against others from other schools and regions. The results and tests would then get returned to the students with their marks. It will give the students the information they need to compete at the appropriate level with those that they have to eventually beat.

Then, those students who really don’t enjoy competition and just want to get on with their learning don’t have to deal with the stress and often humiliation of having to compete for their education and constantly being graded and ranked. And teachers can get on with their job of teaching the children to learn.

It’s important because everybody is different.

Yolanda,

If you are looking for transparency don't expect it Real Soon Now.

NSW DET is about to roll out new software to Government schools to help word process the new Nelson Reports. But 30 months after the Eltis report recommended it search the market for solutions and with its share of Dr Nelson's $32 billion on the way to the bank, the new internally developed software does not contain a markbook.

In 2006 and beyond, this means there is no audit trail between the testing instruments in schools and what appears on the reports parents get. Nor are there the sort of datamining tools for senior school staff that the corner store has in MYOB.

Proud to be Public?

Well Judgement was handed down today in our matter. If you are interested you can access it here from my blog. Education - Keeping them Honest http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/