League tables and school performance

“Chris C” noted in response to Leigh’s article, “Australia consistently performs in the top ten countries in the world in reading, mathematics and science. The most recent OECD Program for International Student Assessment put only five countries statistically significantly ahead of us in reading, only eight countries in mathematics and only three countries in science. The UK is behind us in all three areas, and the US in two areas, despite their more detailed school reporting”.

In commenting on Australian students’ performance in international tests, ACER’s CEO Professor Geoff Masters has consistently observed that while the results are good there is room for improvement. ACER commentary has also observed that in some areas other countries are improving their performance while Australia is not. A major feature of international tests is the number of students reaching the highest levels: far fewer in Australia than in leading countries! A feature of the last 12 years has been a decline in Commonwealth government funding of public schools and of universities.

By no means the least important realisation to emerge in the last few decades has been the recognition of the profound significance of early childhood intervention in education, especially where socially less advantaged children are concerned. In Australia as in other countries, particularly the USA, areas of disadvantage including remoteness from major centres and high proportions of ethnic minorities, are factors contributing to lower educational outcomes. The economic and social consequences are profound and recognised by Nobel prizewinning economists and others!

If we genuinely want to improve educational levels we will pay attention to sound scholarship, and to what we can learn from best practice.