The Australian Education Union said today that teachers would continue with a national moratorium on the 2010 NAPLAN tests.

The decision was taken after a meeting with Education Minister Julia Gillard today in which she ruled out taking any steps to protect students from the misuse of test data posted on the My School website.

AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said: “The Minister only had one message today and that was she would not negotiate.”

“Today she rejected a proposal to convene a working party with representatives from the Government and the union that would sit down and try and find a solution to this dispute.

“That is disappointing given the deep concerns teachers have about the misleading way test data is being presented on the My School website and the failure of the Government to stop this data being used to name and shame schools in league tables.

“The AEU remains willing to engage in good faith negotiations to achieve a resolution to this dispute which would allow the tests to proceed.

“Unless the Minister is willing to negotiate, the moratorium on the tests will remain in place.

“Teachers cannot hand out a test when we know the results will be misused to brand students and schools as failures in league tables.

“We have repeatedly tried to get the Government to do two things: improve the My School website so it contains accurate and meaningful information for parents and protect students and school communities from the misuse of student data in league tables.”

The full decision of the special meeting of the AEU Federal Executive:

DECISION OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AEU FEDERAL EXECUTIVE: 28 APRIL 2010

The AEU is disappointed that the Deputy Prime Minister failed to genuinely explore a resolution to the concerns of the profession at the special meeting of the AEU Federal Executive on the 28th April 2010. The profession remains deeply concerned about the misuse of student data and the damage caused to students, schools and school communities by league tables and other inappropriate, invalid, inaccurate and misleading school rankings.

The Federal Executive of the AEU reiterates that it is not opposed to the NAPLAN tests which can proceed on condition that the serious concerns of the profession are adequately addressed.

Furthermore the Federal Executive of the AEU restates the profession’s support for the provision of meaningful and accurate information on student achievement and school effectiveness to parents.

The Federal Executive of the AEU is disappointed that the Deputy Prime Minister rejected a proposal aimed at addressing the profession’s educational concerns through genuine discussions between the AEU and ACARA within a specified timeframe. An agreed position on the use of student data would allow the NAPLAN tests to proceed this term and would form the basis of a long term agreement between the AEU and the Government to continue to build strong school accountability and improvement measures in the interest of students, schools and school communities.

The AEU remains ready and willing to engage in genuine good faith discussions to achieve a resolution to these serious educational concerns so that the NAPLAN tests can proceed.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY