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NSW school education: PISA 2018, socioeconomic background and proposals for reform

NSW school education: PISA 2018, socioeconomic background and proposals for reform

Advice on legislation or legal policy issues contained in this paper is provided for use in parliamentary debate and for related parliamentary purposes. This paper is not professional legal opinion.
Issues Backgrounder 02/2020 by Tom Gotsis

This Issues Backgrounder discusses Australia's and NSW's performance in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). This Issues Backgrounder also sets out the association between NSW's PISA 2018 scores and the socioeconomic background of NSW students. Reflecting national outcomes, NSW students from the lowest socioeconomic quartile performed approximately three years behind students from the highest socioeconomic quartile.

Academically resilient students performed well in PISA 2018 despite socioeconomic disadvantage. Two factors associated with academic resilience were a growth mindset and a positive school climate.

PISA 2018 data further suggests that socioeconomically disadvantaged students may have been particularly disadvantaged by the need for remote learning due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

This Issues Backgrounder also discusses recent proposals for reform of NSW school education made by the NSW Curriculum Review; the NSW Legislative Council's Portfolio Committee Number 3–Education; and the NSW Audit Office.

 

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.