National Learning Progressions & Online Formative Assessment Initiative

Education ministers have agreed that learning progressions and online formative assessment should be national priorities for education.

The National School Reform Agreement includes two related national policy initiatives:

i. Enhancing the Australian Curriculum to support teacher assessment of student attainment and growth against clear descriptors.

ii. Assisting teachers to monitor individual student progress and identify student learning needs through opt-in online and on demand student learning assessment tools with links to student learning resources, prioritising early years foundation skills.

The two national priorities are closely related and are being progressed as one project. The initiative will be co-designed with teachers, beginning with a discovery phase.  This phase will inform a proof of concept for the learning progressions and formative assessment national policy initiatives to be considered by Education Council later in 2019.

Three education agencies – Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA); and the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL); and Education Services Australia (ESA) – have been contracted to provide services to the project.