MONITORING STANDARDS IN EDUCATION YEAR 9 ASSESSMENT (MSE9)

MSE9 ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

The Assessments

Dates of the Assessments

Administration Guidelines

Information Sheet

Information for Teachers

Marking

Information for Parents

Home Schooling

MSE9 ASSESSMENTS

Mathematics

English

Science

MSE9 RESULTS AND REPORTING

Public Reports

Digital Version

Wamse Scales

Reporting to Parents

Reporting to Schools

Support for Schools

Evaluation

• How have the West Australian tests been developed?

• How are the tests marked?

• How can schools use the test results?

• What if the test results are not consistent with school-based assessment?

• How confidential are school results?

• What happens when students demonstrate low levels of achievement?

• What happens when students demonstrate high levels of achievement?

• Can parents compare their child's results from Years 3, 5 and 7 WALNA assessments?

How have the West Australian tests been developed?

The MSE9 tests are written to cater for the diverse range of students in Western Australian schools and to ensure there is no systematic bias associated with such factors as gender, culture or geographic location.

The assessments have been panelled and endorsed by Western Australian teachers and educators, and have been extensively trialled and tested in Western Australian schools. They have proven validity and reliability.

For MSE9, the development of the tests were undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research, in close conjunction with educators from Western Australian government schools.

The tests will give an indication of how students perform in relation to the levels of the Outcomes and Standards Framework.

How are the tests marked?

Open response and short answer questions on the assessments are hand-marked by Western Australian teachers. High-quality training ensures accurate marking. Rigorous procedures are instituted to ensure reliability of marking.

Multiple choice questions are machine marked.

How can schools use the test results?

• As part of their annual report to the school community.

• To validate the teacher judgments.

• To provide longitudinal data with a view to continuous improvement.

• To gain an indication of each student’s strengths and weaknesses in underlying skills in order to plan for future learning.

   

What if the test results are not consistent with school-based assessment?

Schools are expected to use a wide range of measurement techniques to assess the learning progress of students. The MSE9 Assessments provide a useful additional source of information. In the case of an individual student, observation over time in a variety of contexts is likely to be more reliable.

For many teachers the MSE9 results will provide an important guide to moderation. The results are a consistent, statewide reference point based on an independent assessment, for considering the performance of each student and the class as a whole.

How confidential are school results?

The Department of Education and Training will maintain the confidentiality of school results. It will, however, publicly release system results.

What happens when students demonstrate low levels of achievement?

The MSE9 results will provide additional information that will help schools target problem areas and develop strategies for improvement. In most instances the test results will be a confirmation of what schools already know. Schools will already have been involved in whole-school planning to address these problems. Further, whole-school review of strategies for improvement may be required.

The results of the MSE9 assessments will represent the culmination of nearly 9 years of schooling, and responsibility for good or bad results cannot reside solely with current teachers.

It is worth remembering that the MSE9 results will provide an indication of the educational needs of all students, including those who demonstrate high achievement.

What happens when students demonstrate high levels of achievement?

The school, in consultation with parents, would need to establish an overall picture of the student's current work. Extension, enrichment and acceleration are possible strategies to meet the educational needs of the gifted child.

The Education of Gifted and Talented Students in Western Australia.

Can parents compare their child's results from Years 3, 5 and 7 WALNA assessments?

Yes. Most students across the State will have completed the Western Australian Literacy and Numeracy assessment. It will be possible to observe their progress from Year 7 to Year 9.

Parents will be able to see this progress depicted in the student report. They will see how far their child has progressed through the levels of achievement shown on the report display.