• NAPLAN Online to be delayed by one year
• 99 schools participating in the online trial will now be undertaking paper tests
• NAPLAN is a national assessment of all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9
• NAPLAN testing starts in May

Western Australia will not participate in an online trial of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) this year.

Testing of the NAPLAN Online platform during the school holidays identified several issues that could impact on students’ ability to complete the tests.

All Western Australian students will sit pen and paper tests this year.

This decision will allow the additional time required for the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training to make improvements to the NAPLAN Online platform, so the project can continue in 2018.

Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory also withdrew today.  South Australia and Queensland had previously withdrawn from NAPLAN Online.

The three-year transition period to NAPLAN Online started this year.

Comments attributed to Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:

“The advice I have received means I am no longer prepared to commit Western Australian students to participate in NAPLAN Online in 2017.

“My primary concern is to ensure students are able to demonstrate their literacy and numeracy skills without experiencing IT issues.

“Contingencies for this decision have been put in place by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and all schools affected have been contacted.

“We will work closely with our partners across Australia to ensure a successful rollout in 2018 and 2019.”