Best practice models for the development and use of performance standards

Margaret Forster, ACER

Abstract

The South Australian Government has recently approved the development of a new senior secondary qualification for South Australian students. Currently referred to as the future SACE, this new South Australian Certificate of Education will be introduced from 2009. The development of the new curriculum is being managed by the future SACE Office, responsible to the Minister for Education and Children’s Services through an Implementation Steering Committee. A new feature of the certificate is the development and use of Performance Standards as the basis for the allocation of grades in subjects at Stage 1 (usually taken by Year 11 students) and Stage 2 (usually taken by Year 12 students)levels. This report, Report 1, is the first in a set of three reports on the conceptualisation and use of future SACE Performance Standards. Report 1 focuses on underpinning conceptualisations and outlines best practice models for the development and use of Performance Standards. Report 2 discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using various numerical scales to underpin the SACE certificate. Report 3 reflects on the April 2007 draft paper ‘Working Paper 6: Performance Standards in the future SACE’ in the context of Reports 1 and 2.