'my school' website is misleading and dangerous

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "The year 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy tests were not designed to be used to compare students, let alone schools or teachers.
 
"Using the averaged results to assess the achievements of a school is deeply misleading.
 
"Parents and the community are being invited to pass judgements on a school based on data that is narrowly focused, statically invalid and deceptive
 
"Julia Gillard's obsession with measurement and public naming-and-shaming will force schools to sacrifice curriculum time to prepare students for the tests.
 
"Teaching to the tests will undermine other educational outcomes.
 
"Literacy and numeracy are important core skills but on their own they do not measure the learning young people need to be successful members of the community.
 
"Julia Gillard has ignored the lessons of the UK and the USA where high stakes testing has distorted the educational process and decreased student achievement.
 
"The NSW government handed over the state's results to Julia Gillard.
 
"Minister Firth now must take responsibility for the damage that the website will do not only to disadvantaged schools but also to all educational outcomes.
 
"She should warn parents about the site is statistically invalid and misleading.
 
"Making judgements about schools based on this website would be perilous and unfair," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455