National literacy and numeracy benchmark results for 2000

18/4/02
Education Minister Alan Carpenter has welcomed, with caution, the release of national benchmark figures that compare years Three and Five reading and numeracy levels across Australia's States and Territories, for the year 2000.
Mr Carpenter says the national benchmarking process is still in its early years of development and the figures currently being produced may be somewhat volatile.
"The national equating process is new and complex, and I think most Australian educators would agree it will take some years to bed down," he said.
"For that reason, I am hesitant to embrace them with enthusiasm.
"Nonetheless, the process is worthy and has my support. As the next few years roll out, the results will become increasingly useful.
"The best result from the latest figures shows WA leading the nation in Year Three literacy, with 95.8 per cent of students tested in 2000, achieving the benchmark.
"That is a solid result, and I will be pleased if it's repeated in future years. But regardless of the figures, the Western Australian Government will continue its deliberate focus on literacy and numeracy."
The Government has pledged an extra 200 specialist literacy and numeracy teachers over its first term of Government.
More than 90 teachers, representing 50 full-time equivalents, are already working in WA schools.

Mr Carpenter said that, overall, the figures from the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) suggested WA, and the rest of the nation, still had plenty of work to do.

"It should be remembered the benchmarks that have been set are intended to be minimum standards," he said.
"Our goal should be to have results in the mid to high 90s across all learning areas."
The MCEETYA results for 2000 show the following results for Western Australia:
Year Three
Literacy:
All tested students: 95.8 per cent achieved the benchmark. (National average
92.5 per cent)
Indigenous students: 86.6 per cent (76.9 per cent)
Numeracy:
All tested students: 90.5 per cent (92.7 per cent)
Indigenous students: 69.4 per cent (73.7 per cent)
Year Five
Literacy:
All tested students: 93.6 per cent (87.4 per cent)
Indigenous students: 70.9 per cent (62 per cent)
Numeracy:
All tested students: 87.5 per cent (89.6 per cent)
Indigenous students: 57.2 per cent (62.8 per cent)
The full report can be viewed on the MCEETYA website at http://www.curriculum.edu.au/mceetya
Minister's office: 9213 6800