What does your state/territory understand by the terms standards and benchmarking?

Background

The Queensland School Curriculum Council uses the terms standards and benchmarking in particular contexts. In the case of the term standards, it is used in the context of Student Performance Standards and also in the context of Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment. Student Performance Standards was a reporting framework developed by Education Queensland in 1994 and based on the earlier development of the National Statements and Profiles through the Curriculum Corporation. In 1995, Student Performance Standards in Mathematics were used to assign levels of performance to students’ work in three strands of mathematics. Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment is the system of externally-moderated school-based assessment adopted by the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies.

In the case of the term benchmarking (or benchmarks), it is used in the context of National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks. Formulated and approved by the Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) in July 1996 as a key feature of a National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, these benchmarks articulate "nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards for literacy (and numeracy) at Years 3, 5 and 7." In Queensland, these benchmarks are used in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7 thus enabling the reporting of state-based student achievement data against common standards to the Australian community through the National Report on Schooling.

Definitions of Terms

Standards (Student Performance Standards) are descriptions of expected levels of performance of students at particular stages in the schooling process.

Standards (Criteria/Standards-Based Assessment) are descriptions of levels or degrees of achievement in relation to exit criteria that are linked to the objectives and content specified in a syllabus.

Benchmarks are standards of performance.

Benchmarks (National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks) are descriptions of nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards of literacy and numeracy performance at Years 3, 5 and 7.

How are standards and benchmarks currently applied in your state/territory? (current practice)

Student Performance Standards are no longer used in Queensland. The Queensland School Curriculum Council is currently developing syllabuses for each of the nationally agreed key learning areas. These syllabuses specify learning outcomes (core and discretionary) for a number of strands and levels. Standards have been established thus:

Typically students:

• at the end of Year 3 are achieving at Level 2;
• at the end of Year 5 are achieving at Level 3;
• at the end of Year 7 are achieving at Level 4; and
• at the end of Year 10 are achieving at Level 6 or beyond.

The National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks are used in Queensland in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7.

Briefly outline the work being done in the area of standards and benchmarking in your state/territory.

As indicated above, the Queensland School Curriculum Council is continuing to develop syllabuses for each of the nationally agreed key learning areas. These syllabuses specify learning outcomes for a number of strands and levels. The Council is also continuing to use the National Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks in the development of literacy and numeracy tests for Years 3, 5 and 7.