Key tasks required to establish the new policy context
Establishing the new policy context for NS has been less problematic than the actual implementation of the NS in schools and assessing their impacts on learners and achievement levels- in saying this it is not without its criticisms. The below diagram shows the key tasks overtime for the implementation of NS.
Legislation
As aforementioned the legislation enabling the Minister of Education to set National standards was passed on December the 9th 2008 and gained Royal Assent on the 16th of December that same year. It is now a legal requirement for all English medium schools with students between Years 1 and 8 to be using NS for assessment and reporting purposes. The NS amendment act is given effect by requiring specifically that schools report student achievement “including the assessment of students against any national standard published under section 60A(1)(ba)” [own italics added].[1] Section 60A (1)(ba) refers to the national standards advised, via the Gazette, by the Minister of Education in ‘matters such as numeracy and literacy’. The legislation establishes new reporting rules for schools and new standards by which to assess student achievement.
Consultation
Often the introduction of new government policy is accompanied with widespread consultation. Open consultation allows for the gauging of stakeholder and broader public support and the airing of concerns with policy proposals. The Ministry of Education invited submissions on the draft NS between 25th of May 2009 – 3 July 2009. In total 4,968 responses were received from a broad range of stakeholders including parents, teachers, whole schools, principals and national organizations.
Although a period of consultation was ostensibly present in the process of introducing NS it is noteworthy that the legislation had been passed before stakeholders were consulted on whether compulsory NS were a suitable tool in lifting student achievement and school accountability. This suggests that previous to consultation a clear policy path of introducing NS had been established. This ‘inevitable’ trajectory towards national standards is made clear by examining the key themes of interest the Ministry of Education was interested in when the consultation data was analysed, these were, 1) Do key stakeholder groups understand the intent of the draft National Standards 2) Are there areas of concern and/or areas for improvement? 3) Are there barriers to the implementation of National Standards? And 4) What information do parents need to engage with their children’s learning?.[2] Whilst the themes of interest attempt to gather information of potential impacts and concerns around introducing NS they seem to denote that NS introduction is a ‘given’ potentially dismissing the option that they should be abandoned.
Implementation
The establishment of NS requires the mobilization of considerable resources from the government in the form of training and professional development as to how the NS are to be applied and used. The government has earmarked $26 million dollars to support the implementation of the NS and development of resources to help teachers understand how the NS can work in their schools.
What also needs to be considered are the ongoing resources i.e. professional development that will be required and developed in order to ensure the consistent application and understanding of NS within schools and the need for networks to moderate NS between schools. The development of these networks can come at a considerable cost in time and energy placed on schools with already limited resources to implement their existing curriculum. (examples of the types of ongoing professional development have been discussed on page Institutional, organizational, and procedural changes required to support national standards)
[1] New Zealand Legislation, ‘Education Act (1989)’ Parliamentary Counsel Office http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0080/latest/DLM179268.html
[2] Cathy Wylie, Eith Hodgen and Charles Darr, “National Standards Consultation Analysis: Report for the Ministry of Education” NZCER August 2009