2010 Data Standards Manual Student Background Characteristics. For Use by Schools and School Systems Test Administration Authorities and Assessment Contractors. Fifth Edition
Author: Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA)
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Enrollment,Student Characteristics,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Parent Background,Educational Attainment,Occupations,Socioeconomic Background,Indigenous Populations,Native Language,Sex,Data Collection,Student Records,Privacy,Quality Assurance,Educational Testing,National Competency Tests,National Programs,Performance

The process of collecting student background information from parents using nationally agreed definitions of student background characteristics began in 2005. The original edition of this manual, titled &quot;Data Implementation Manual for Enrolments for the 2005 and 2006 School Years,&quot; was prepared to assist schools and systems in modifying enrolment forms and associated data collection and storage processes to enable reporting of student performance by the agreed background variables. Further editions of the Manual were produced for enrolments for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 school years respectively. The purpose of the Manual is to provide guidance to schools and school systems with the collection of information on student background characteristics using nationally agreed, standard measures of the characteristics. The 2010 edition of the Manual is to be used by schools and school systems when enrolling students for the first time in the 2010 school year or when collecting information, via special data collection forms, on those students participating in national assessments in 2010. The Manual is for the use of school and school system personnel responsible for: (1) designing enrolment forms and enrolment processes; (2) collecting information from parents; (3) designing, maintaining or modifying student information storage and retrieval systems; (4) updating student records; and (5) managing or coordinating at the school level students' participation in full cohort literacy and and numeracy testing, and national or international sample assessments. The Manual also provides information for test administration authorities, testing services contractors, software providers and Boards of Studies. Not all schools need to use the Manual. In some systems, the implementation of the required student data collection arrangements is a central responsibility. Because implementation of the nationally agreed definitions of student background characteristics began in 2005, most school systems and schools will have already have in place the required data collection protocols. There are, however, a number of potential new users--that is, schools or school systems implementing the required data collection arrangements for the first time in 2010. New users are most likely to be either: (1) new systemic or non-systemic non-government schools coming into operation in 2010, or (2) schools changing their status or operation and schools providing new level(s) of schooling in 2010. Such schools may need to review and adjust their data collection tools and data processing procedures to implement in their collections the standards agreed for each data item. These users should refer to Section 4--Action required. Appended are: (1) Checklist for Existing Users; (2) Checklist for New Users; (3) Sample Data Collection Forms; (4) Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL) Second Edition Coding Index; (5) Main Languages Spoken, for Australia and by State/Territory; (6) Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC) Second Edition Coding Index; (7) Main Countries of Birth, for Australia and by State/Territory; and (8) Glossary. [For &quot;2009 Data Standards Manual Student Background Characteristics. For Use by Schools, School Systems and Test Administration Authorities. Fourth Edition,&quot; see ED534804.]