![NAPLAN testing has changed on a number of levels this year. Picture by Adam McLean NAPLAN testing has changed on a number of levels this year. Picture by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GJZ5TVpAk84wrTzsQfLQRB/0ecdd908-2d1c-42bc-89c8-bde40644827e.jpg/r0_559_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Wednesday is the start of NAPLAN tests for 1.3 million Australian school students and on the eve of the 2023 exams, one education chief has told everyone to keep results in perspective.
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David de Carvalho, the chief of the the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, said putting too much weight on results in counter-productive.
"It's one test held every two years. It doesn't measure overall school quality. It's not meant to tell us everything about a student or their achievement," he said.
But rather, results are used to show authorities if Australian schoolkids are reaching important literacy and numeracy goals.
Test report cards will also be radically overhauled, with the 10 NAPLAN bands and national minimum standard dumped in favour of four proficiency categories: exceeding; strong; developing; and needs additional support.
The timing of the tests also has changed. They have been moved to March from May, allowing teachers more additional time to make changes to student needs during the year.
The tests - except for year 3 writing - will be held online, with results to go to schools in term 2. Parents could receive student report cards in July.
NAPLAN - the National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy - was introduced in 2008 to test the literacy and numeracy skills of Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
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In 2022 we asked you to take a NAPLAN test yourself. More than 5700 did exactly that.
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These maths questions came from previous NAPLAN tests for students in years 7 and 9.
Students were not able to use calculators.
- with AAP
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