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| National Assessment Program — Civics and Citizenship | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Assessment Program — Civics and Citizenship |
| Country | Australia |
| Established | 2001 |
| Administered by | Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority |
| Frequency | Quadrennial (previously varying) |
| Participants | Year 6 and Year 10 students |
National Assessment Program — Civics and Citizenship The National Assessment Program — Civics and Citizenship is an Australian national assessment measuring student achievement in civics and citizenship across primary and secondary cohorts. It is coordinated by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and intersects with national curricula and state schooling systems in Australia. The assessment informs policy makers, state education departments, and organisations engaged with youth civic participation and public life.
The assessment evaluates knowledge, understanding, and skills related to Australian democracy, citizenship, and civic participation and aligns with the Australian Curriculum. Major stakeholders include the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, the Commonwealth Government, state and territory education departments such as the New South Wales Department of Education, the Victorian Department of Education and Training, the Queensland Department of Education, the South Australian Department for Education, the Western Australian Department of Education, the Tasmanian Department for Education, the Northern Territory Department of Education, and the Australian Capital Territory Education Directorate. International comparators and partners that inform methodology include UNESCO, the OECD, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, and national bodies such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Productivity Commission.
Origins trace to national reviews of curriculum and assessment following reports by bodies like the Australian Education Council and initiatives associated with the Hawke Government, the Keating Government, and later Commonwealth cabinets. Influential reports and inquiries included work by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the Grattan Institute, and commissions influenced by figures tied to the Whitlam era and Howard era policy reforms. Design and rollout involved consultation with universities including the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Queensland, the University of Western Australia, the University of Adelaide, and Macquarie University. Technical input drew on expertise from statisticians and psychometricians associated with institutions such as CSIRO and the ABS, while professional associations like the Australian Council for Educational Research, the Australian Education Union, the Australian Association for Research in Education, and the Australian Principals Federation provided advice.
The framework bases content on civics and citizenship strands articulated in the Australian Curriculum and maps to achievement standards understood by curriculum authorities in Canberra and state capitals like Sydney and Melbourne. Test blueprints were developed with input from curriculum experts, assessment designers, and stakeholders including the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, the High Court of Australia, the Federal Parliament, the Department of Education, and legal scholars from institutions such as the Lowy Institute and the ANU College of Law. Psychometric methods referenced standards from the Australian Council for Educational Research and international instruments like PISA and TIMSS. Tooling and item banking utilised providers and partners such as ACER, Pearson, and specialist consultants with links to organisations like the Grattan Institute, the Centre for Independent Studies, and the Mitchell Institute.
Administration logistics engaged state examination authorities, school systems such as Catholic Education Commission and independent school associations, and professional bodies like the Australian Education Union and the Australian Principals Federation. Participants historically included Year 6 and Year 10 students sampled through school lists maintained by state departments and the ABS. Operational partners included test delivery and sampling specialists drawn from CSIRO ICT centres, tertiary researchers from UNSW, Deakin University, and Curtin University, and advisory groups featuring representatives from NGOs such as the ABC, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, and Civics organisations like the Constitutional Centre of Western Australia.
Reporting practices produced national and jurisdictional reports used by policy makers, state ministers such as the New South Wales Minister for Education and the Victorian Minister for Education, and agencies including the Productivity Commission and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Results were compared with international benchmarks and influenced commentaries from media outlets including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian, and The Guardian Australia. Data analysis and dissemination involved academics from Notre Dame Australia, La Trobe University, Flinders University, Griffith University, and specialist research centres like the Mitchell Institute and the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation.
Findings informed curriculum review processes undertaken by curriculum authorities, parliamentary inquiries in the Senate and the House of Representatives, and policy development by successive federal administrations including cabinets led by prime ministers across the Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison, and Albanese governments. The assessment informed teacher professional learning initiatives run by teacher unions, curriculum reforms in state jurisdictions, and NGO programs by organisations such as the Smith Family, Save the Children Australia, UNICEF Australia, and the Foundation for Young Australians. Research uptake occurred at universities and think tanks including the ANU, ACER, Mitchell Institute, Grattan Institute, and the Centre for Independent Studies.
Critiques have come from education researchers, union representatives, and civil society, pointing to sampling design, the frequency of administration, and alignment with classroom practice. Debates featured contributors from the Australian Education Union, academics at the University of Sydney, Monash University, and the University of Melbourne, and commentators in media outlets like The Australian, The Age, and The Guardian Australia. Policy debates engaged parliamentary committees, state education ministers, the Productivity Commission, and advocacy groups including the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and the Human Rights Law Centre, with competing views offered by organisations such as the Centre for Independent Studies, the Grattan Institute, and various university law and politics faculties.
Category:Australian assessments