More than 220,000 students across New Zealand have taken part in the Government’s new Student Mentoring Assessment Tool (SMART), with Education Minister Erica Stanford saying the programme is delivering the clear and consistent reporting parents have long been seeking.
Since its introduction in February, more than 1,300 schools have used SMART, which forms part of the Government’s commitment to introduce twice-yearly assessments in reading, writing and mathematics.
Stanford said the assessment tool was developed in response to concerns from parents, academics, the Education Review Office and education experts about the need for better information on student achievement.
“We campaigned on this in 2023, we funded it and we delivered it,” Stanford said.
Under the system, parents of students in Years 0 to 10 receive nationally consistent reports covering reading, writing and maths achievement. Reports include one of five progress descriptors, explanations of achievement levels, attendance information, phonics results and guidance on next learning steps.
Stanford said detailed reports for participating students would be released to parents and schools from July 3.
“By using a nationally consistent reporting approach supported by twice-yearly progress check-ins, parents receive reliable, easy-to-understand information about progress in reading, writing and maths, alongside attendance information and guidance on next learning steps,” she said.
Stanford described the initiative as the first time in more than two decades that parents would receive straightforward and nationally consistent reporting on their child’s academic progress.
“For too long some students have been turning up to high school without knowing the basics of reading, writing and maths and their parents have been in the dark,” she said.
“Using better reporting we can get these students help earlier and giving them the opportunity they deserve to succeed.”
The minister said the programme was focused on improving educational outcomes rather than ideology and argued that removing SMART from schools would ignore the needs of students, parents and educators.
Student completion rates have exceeded 70 percent across participating schools, which the Government says demonstrates schools and kura are actively incorporating the assessment tool into teaching and learning programmes.
Image credit: Debby Hudson
