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Secondary School Leaders Forum. Neil McDonald, Acting Chief Executive Officer. What is QSA?. Essentially a partnership of teachers, principals, public servants and other education stakeholders who perform functions defined in legislation. The Authority is a 20-person representative board
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Secondary School Leaders Forum Neil McDonald, Acting Chief Executive Officer
What is QSA? • Essentially a partnership of teachers, principals, public servants and other education stakeholders who perform functions defined in legislation. • The Authority is a 20-person representative board • The Office is responsible for implementing the decisions of the board • The many thousands of teachers in hundreds of schools.
2013 Forums – working closely with principals and stakeholders Cairns Townsville Mt Isa Mackay Rockhampton Longreach Maryborough Bundaberg Sunshine Coast Brisbane-Ipswich Gold Coast Toowoomba
The Queensland Studies Authority’s vision is to provide quality, innovative and future-focused products and services to assist all Queensland educational communities. QSA Improvement Plan
Review of QSA legislation Review of QSA legislation and functions: • Conducted by Department of Education, Training and Employment • Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Bill 2013 was introduced into the Parliament for its first reading – 29 October • The Bill has been referred to the Education and Innovation Committee for consideration • New legislation planned for 1 July 2014.
Parliamentary inquiry • Parliamentary inquiry into assessment methods used in senior mathematics, chemistry and physics in Queensland schools. • Report containing 16 broad recommendations was released on14 October 2013.
Parliamentary inquiry • The Parliamentary Committee considered three main issues: • whether current assessment processes are supported by teachers • student participation levels • ability of assessment processes to support valid and reliable judgements of student outcomes. • The Government to respond within 3 months.
Review of senior assessment and tertiary entrance • Review of senior assessment and tertiary entrance processes. • ACER – Gabrielle Matters and Geoff Masters. • Report due in July 2014. • Terms of reference very broad. • Widespread consultation with stakeholders.
Terms of reference for the review • The review will consider the effectiveness of the systems and identify ways to improve, revitalise or reform them. • With respect to assessment and reporting, the review will consider: • comparability of student standards of achievement • appropriateness, validity and reliability of various types of assessment instruments • form and content of reporting • implications of the Australian Curriculum.
Terms of reference for the review • With respect to tertiary entrance, the review will consider: • alternatives to the OP system • how to include a wider range of achievements in the TE rank • the role and effectiveness of the QCS Test • roles of QSA and QTAC. • The review will also consider communication messages and strategies to help students, parents and others to understand the systems of senior assessment and tertiary entrance.
QCS Test marking…. • 500+ Markers
QCS Test marking… • Each aspect of SR testpaper is marked by at least 2 markers. • Each WT response is marked by at least 3 markers. • Analysis team monitor and identify discrepancies between markers.
2013 online release of results and OPs • Student Connect website (www.studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au) • From 9.00 am on Saturday 14 December 2013 • LUI and password to login • QSA needs your help to: • make sure students have their LUI • encourage students to log in and activate their learning account before they leave school.
QSA — Responding to stakeholder needs: • Secondary schools: • strengthening the review panel system • supporting implementation of EEIs • Industry and schools: • Essential Mathematics for the Trades
Working with our stakeholders • Primary schools: • overcrowded curriculum • resources to support schools.
Working with our stakeholders • Special needs: • curriculum offerings • certification.
Working with our stakeholders • Special needs actions: • Develop a small suite of adjusted subject area syllabuses (SASs). • Develop of a curriculum framework (learning expectations) for QCIA. • Provide information about recognised studies. • Develop and implement communication strategy for the current QCIA requirements. • QSA continues to work with special education stakeholders to progress the actions and provide professional development.
Curriculum for students with special needs Authority Syllabuses Overall Position (OP) Subject Area Syllabuses (SASs) Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Subject areas syllabuses for students with special needs Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA) Learning expectations for the QCIA Individual Education Plans
Some useful new resources • Fractions Paper • NAPLAN Test Reporting Handbook • QCS Test guide for parents/carers and sample maths questions
The 3-dimensions of Australian Curriculum General capabilities: 21St Century Skills Cross-curriculum priorities: Contemporary issues F-10 Learning areas: Discipline learning
Implementation challenge 49% 72% 79%
Australian Senior Curriculum • ACARA • “subject” • content • achievement standards • QSA • “course” • integrate national content and achievement standards • add assessment and certification requirements • School • “work program” • outlines how the course is implemented
Senior secondary Australian Curriculum: Ministerial decision • The next step towards national consistency. • The agreed and common base. • ACARA is working with states and territories: • common content • validation of the draft achievement standards • processes and timelines • further senior secondary curriculum.
Developing Queensland courses • What resources do schools need? • How do we engage relevant people in the process? • What is the role of principals and curriculum leaders? Consultation • Professional development • Implementation strategy • Syllabus and resource development Consultation • When is the best time for PD? • Who should attend? • Staged implementation or all at once? • Sequencing subjects – which ones first? • Develop design briefs or wait till reviews are finalised? Implementation