Kaye Nikki: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Kaye Nikki: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 25 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5562. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
5. 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: What support exists for the publication of National Standards data? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) 
: 
 Firstly parents because they have consistently said that they want to know how their child is doing how their school is doing and how they can be involved. In addition I have seen a number of reports overwhelmingly in support of the publication of national standards data. I have seen some Colmar Brunton research that shows that parents want three things: they want independent and comprehensive information about their child’s school they want it regularly and in plain English and they want to know where their child is and how they compare with other children. I have also seen several media polls that also support the publication of the data one of which stated a whopping 70 percent of people aged between 18 and 39 are tremendously supportive of schools releasing the information. But the national standards data needs to be considered in the wider context of Public Achievement Information and that is why on Friday the Ministry of Education will be making national standards data public together with links to Education Review Office reports and schools’ annual reports. 
Nikki Kaye 
: What does the first year’s data show? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Given that this is the first year schools have reported their national standards data it is variable between schools but it does give sufficient information to tell us how well we are doing across the country. The first year’s data shows that 76 percent of learners reached or exceeded the national standard for reading 72 percent for maths and 68 percent for writing. Of particular interest is the consistency of the achievement trends in writing reading and maths by gender and ethnicity with other system health check studies such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the National Certificate of Educational Achievement. 
Tracey Martin 
: Can the Minister explain why private schools and future charter schools are not required to report against national standards even though they are funded either in full or in part by the New Zealand taxpayer? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I am at a loss to know how that member knows that. We have yet to introduce legislation to establish these schools and it will then specify what is required. 
Tracey Martin 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think I understand—it is a point of order that the member is calling? The question asked about private schools as well as charter schools. 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: Two parts. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I do not believe that was a case of two parts to a question. It was really one question. 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Because parents have a choice and parents paying private schools can take their kids elsewhere. 
Nikki Kaye 
: Supplementary question to the Minister—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I want to hear this question. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I want to hear this question. 
Nikki Kaye 
: What are you doing to support those children who are not at the national standard? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sure “you” would do a better job but you are not to be the subject of questioning as the member did. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I did not pick up that bit in the question. There has been such noise though that I could not even hear the question. I would ask Nikki Kaye to repeat her question. 
Nikki Kaye 
: What is the Minister doing to support those children who are not at the national standard? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Our Government is making a number of additional investments. We are investing $22 million per year in the Reading Recovery programme $1.6 million in Reading Together for 203 low-decile schools and a further $11 million in targeted support programmes for maths and literacy. And of course these supplement the overall first-line investment we make through our teaching profession of $3.8 billion a year.