Flavell Te Ururoa: Education (National Standards) Amendment Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Education (National Standards) Amendment Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:651;Page:639] 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chair; kia ora ano tatou katoa. I will refer again to the Education and Science Committee’s report in February on the school system for two reasons. The first one is it seems to me on reading the report on that inquiry again that all the information is there—that is the first point. The second point is that importantly most of the parties in the House at this point in time contributed to that report so one would think there was a commonality of view about it. 
If I could firstly just set the scene the report states that the National Administration Guidelines aim “to put good assessment practice at the heart of the schooling system. Accurate comprehensive assessment enables teachers to plan appropriate learning programmes to build upon students’ knowledge and skills and address their learning difficulties. It also enables schools to report on what students have achieved to parents and the wider community.” Here is the crunch: “Persuasive evidence was presented to the inquiry that inconsistent assessment practice hampers the development of appropriate learning programmes in many parts of the schooling system. The most significant inconsistencies in the effective use of assessment occur within schools between classrooms or teaching teams. The failure to observe the National Administration Guideline means that students do not learn progressively and cannot steadily improve their achievement. This is particularly damaging to the underachievers for whom the consequences of following an unsuitable learning programme can be lifelong.” If there is a rationale for this particular part of the bill there it is. 
The second point is that the report talks about assessment tools. This point was picked up by my colleague Moana Mackey. The report continues: “A wide variety of assessment tools are available. They can provide teachers with a wealth of information about what students know and can do and can be of immense value in planning programmes that will enable students to improve their achievement. . . . Reports are generated to show what students know what gaps they have in their learning and what they need to learn next.” Well I do not necessarily agree with Moana Mackey about the discussion in the select committee. What that discussion told me was that there are umpteen numbers of assessment tools but the problem is that they assess different things and therefore deliver different outcomes. Again if ever there was a rationale for moving in this direction there it is because the general view of the submitters to the select committee was that the vast number of tools produce different outcomes. I will read out some of them: Prose Reading Observation Behaviour and Evaluation of Comprehension the Junior Oral Screening Tool the Numeracy Project Assessment and the Supplementary Test of Achievement in Reading. Those are some of the ones mentioned in the report. It told us simply that yes tools are available but they produce different outcomes. This provision will perhaps streamline that process. 
The third point that the select committee made was in respect of the use of data. Its report states: “We are satisfied that teachers have plenty of suitable assessment tools at their disposal. Our concern is that the schooling system as a whole is not using the huge potential of these tools to support the creation of programmes to improve the achievement of students. This is an issue for all students but is particularly important for those in the underachieving tail.” The vast majority of those students are probably Maori and Pasifika. “The gaps and deficiencies in the learning of these students cannot be corrected until they have been precisely diagnosed.” 
Those are important points but perhaps we should reflect on a point made further on about an Education Review Office evaluation in March 2007 of how effectively schools collect and use assessment information. The report states: “only half of the 314 evaluated schools demonstrated effective assessment practices and only 44 percent of schools used worthwhile assessment information which gave an accurate picture of the achievement of students across the school.” This is important information. I would be the first to acknowledge the risk of having too many assessment tools because they place a huge demand on teachers some of whom may feel that the assessment takes up time that would be better used in curriculum delivery. But in terms of some of the statistics we have on Maori students in particular at this point in time I think the effort to give us more data would in fact shape those programmes particularly in terms of what I read out at the start of my delivery. 
The final point I want to make in terms of the report is that it also said we should not just go about the process and put out another assessment guideline; it said we should back it up with professional development. Again I quote from the report: “Access to good professional development is essential if assessment is to be used effectively throughout the schooling system.” I totally endorse that point and I am looking forward to Dr Pita Sharples working with Minister Anne Tolley on this particular issue. In terms of that the report makes one final point—if the Committee could indulge me by allowing me to provide this information. The report states: “We recommend that more resources be devoted to the provision of comprehensive professional development in assessment practice so that by 2010 all schools have experienced appropriate training in the collection and use of assessment data. This would make a considerable difference to students’ achievement particularly among the tail.”—the tail of underachievers. 
From the Maori Party’s perspective schools should be held to account for their part in the underachievement of Maori students. We see this particular part of the bill as an important ingredient in the data gathered being used for productive ends—for setting positive programmes for the future. It is an initiative that the Maori Party will be supporting.