The controversial NAPLAN tests are valuable and accurate and common criticisms of the national assessment tool aren't supported by evidence, according to a report from the Centre for Independent Studies (CiS).

As thousands of students prepare to sit the tests this week, the libertarian think tank's report, Why We Need NAPLAN, examines the key complaints about the system, which has been running for the past decade.

Key points: Report finds NAPLAN tests useful and should stay

Report finds NAPLAN tests useful and should stay Argues key criticisms of tests aren't supported by evidence, and outlines areas that could benefit from review

Argues key criticisms of tests aren't supported by evidence, and outlines areas that could benefit from review Education ministers and experts question NAPLAN

Report author and CiS education policy analyst Blaise Joseph said to date there had only been a "small number" of studies looking at whether NAPLAN had a negative impact on schools and students and that they were inconclusive.

Instead, he asserts there are three key benefits to the test system:

It's a tool to improve schools and teaching

It's a tool to improve schools and teaching It provides transparency

It provides transparency It provides accountability

"NAPLAN provides valuable data to show which students are falling behind … it also identifies problems in the school system, which we can improve," he said.

"It provides transparency for school results and it also provides accountability for the more than $50 billion of taxpayer money going into schools every year."

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Ms Joseph's defence of the standardised testing system comes as it faces considerable scrutiny from education experts and state education ministers.

In February, a number of ministers united to push for changes to the system, saying it had strayed from its original purpose and had become a "major event" in the school calendar.

Last month one of the world's leading education experts, Les Perelman, conducted a review of the NAPLAN writing test and said it was "the most absurd and the least valid of any test that I've seen".

Meanwhile, a comprehensive review earlier this year sparked calls to change NAPLAN after it found there had been no improvement in maths and reading among students and the performance of disadvantaged students had declined sharply.

In defence of NAPLAN

In his report, Mr Joseph addresses four key criticisms of the testing system and the studies that have been compiled to support them.

He concludes there isn't compelling evidence to support scrapping the system or switching to an alternative testing model.

Criticism 1: There has been no improvement in results

Mr Joseph dismisses the premise of this complaint, and his report calls it "illogical".

"A test cannot be blamed for a lack of improvement — this would be analogous to blaming a thermometer for a hot day or criticising scales for a lack of weight loss," the report reads.

"Whether or not a test leads to improved performance largely depends on how teachers respond to the test results."

The report asserts NAPLAN results are broadly consistent with Australia's trend in performance on international literacy and numeracy tests.

It also finds there has been some statistically significant changes in some disciplines; however, most results are stagnant.

Statistically significant changes in NAPLAN results since 2008. ( Source: CiS Why We Need NAPLAN report )

Criticism 2: NAPLAN harms students

The report considers six studies or surveys conducted to assess student stress and anxiety from the tests.

It concludes there are too many limitations to draw any conclusions, as the studies are either too small or rely on student self-reporting, or they provide conflicting advice.

"None of the studies or surveys … actually examine if there a direct causal connection between NAPLAN and student stress — at most they indicate correlation," the report reads.

Criticism 3: Putting results on MySchool harms schools

A key complaint is parents will use the data to determine where to enrol their child, and may avoid schools that have lower NAPLAN results.

Mr Joseph's report considers five studies or surveys on this issue, yet finds that "this argument is mostly anecdotal".

Sorry, this audio has expired World education expert describes NAPLAN test as “bizarre”

"It appears MySchool data is only one factor among many considered by parents in choosing schools," the report reads.

"It is obvious parents will make a school choice based on all available information, and data on academic achievement would be one factor."

Criticism 4: The testing is too narrow

NAPLAN has come under fire in recent years for focusing on only reading, writing, literacy and numeracy and ignoring what is known the 4 Cs of modern learning — critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

The report concedes the tests don't actively test the "4 Cs", but asserts this isn't a drawback.

"Students need to master the fundamentals of a subject before they can be creative or think critically about the content," it reads.

Mr Joseph also argues it's not possible to "cheat" the tests, and the results are accurate.

"The fact that NAPLAN doesn't test creativity per se isn't an argument against it," he said.

"There's actually a lot of evidence to suggest that you can't really assess creativity by itself, aside from the disciplines.

"In regards to teaching to the test, the truth is that it is impossible to do well on NAPLAN tests unless you've actually got good literacy and numeracy skills."

Basis of a NAPLAN review

Mr Joseph said there were grounds to review NAPLAN without abandoning it.

He outlined what a possible review could consider, including:

How results can be better used as a tool to improve schools and teaching;

How results can be better used as a tool to improve schools and teaching; What is preventing schools and systems from responding more effectively to NAPLAN results;

What is preventing schools and systems from responding more effectively to NAPLAN results; How the purpose and benefits can be better communicated to stakeholders;

How the purpose and benefits can be better communicated to stakeholders; How the administration of the tests can be improved; and,

How the administration of the tests can be improved; and, Whether or not the assessments are too narrow a measure of student ability.

Mr Joseph said Dr Perelman's critique of the writing test appeared valid, but he didn't see this as an argument against the entire system.

"Certainly that's one thing which a possible review of NAPLAN could look at — is there a better way of assessing the writing skills," he said.

"That is something that potentially can be reviewed, but it's not an argument for scrapping NAPLAN altogether.

"At the end of the day, it provides very useful data in regard to the core skills of literacy and numeracy, which we know are very important for students."

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