Implementation of the national literacy and numeracy plan begins in 1998 with the collection, through rigorous State-based assessment programs, of data on Year 3 students' literacy achievement in relation to the Year 3 benchmarks for Writing, Spelling and Reading. This will begin the monitoring of progress towards the national goal and sub-goal. Monitoring at Year 5 will begin as soon as possible in each school system. Comparability of results obtained through different State-based assessment programs will be assured through a mechanism established by a group of measurement experts. To support attainment of the goal there will also be early assessment, diagnosis and intervention for students at risk, professional development for teachers, and research.
Benchmarks are standards describing student achievement at a year level.
They consist of a set of indicators or descriptors in non-specialised language, intended for a community audience. They are accompanied by a professional elaboration containing more detail, which is needed for teachers, test developers, etc. The standards are exemplified by material such as student work, test items and sample reading matter. This material shows clearly and unambiguously the nature of student achievement at each standard. A meeting of Directors-General on 6 December 1996 agreed that work on the project commence with the development of benchmarks in literacy and numeracy at Years 3 and 5.