The shocking study that had Education Minister issuing a ‘please explain’
Tuesday, 6 August 2024
A study has revealed shocking data on primary children’s maths achievement but there has been no significant change since 2013, “we just never knew because we never looked”, the education minister says.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford announced the Government’s plan to “transform maths education” at the National Party conference on Sunday.
Luxon said the Government had received “shocking new data” on primary children’s achievement in maths in July. The study was carried out last year.
Education Counts published its findings from the Curriculum Insights and Progress Study on Monday.
It revealed less than a quarter – only 22% – of year eight students were meeting curriculum expectations for maths, assessed in term four last year.
Of the remaining 78%, 15% were less than one year behind and 63% were more than a year behind.
“That means that last year around 50,000 children getting ready for high school were not at the curriculum benchmark for their age,” Luxon said.
For year six students, 28% were at or above curriculum level and 20% for year three.
In reading, 47% of students met curriculum expectations in year eight, 52% for year six and 54% for year three.
It also found those with the most socio-economic barriers were least likely to meet curriculum expectations.
For year eight students in a high equity index school – schools that faces greater socio-economic barriers to learning and achievement – only 8% were above maths curriculum expectations. The figure was 12% for Māori students.
In all three year groups, boys achieved higher than girls.
Despite the low figures, trend data showed there was no significant change in maths achievement for year eight students since at least 2013.
On average, students scored about the same in earlier studies in 2013, 2018, 2022, and 2023.
The study found on average students were making progress but not at the rate required to meet the curriculum.
The Curriculum Insights and Progress study was established in 2023 to monitor year three, 6 and 8 student achievement and progress in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum.
Data in 2022 showed 42% of year eight students met the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum expectations. However, analysis revealed student performance had not changed between 2022 and 2023 but the curriculum expectations had changed with the refresh, one of the study leads, Dr Charles Darr said.
“We’ve been tracking student achievement in mathematics at year eight for more than 10 years, and in that time, there has been no evidence for improvement or decline.
“We do have a new draft curriculum however, and the provisional benchmarking exercise we carried out indicates it requires a higher level of proficiency than the 2007 curriculum.”
Stanford said the results were not any worse but hidden in multi-year bands.
“This has always been there, we just never knew it because we never looked.”
To remedy this, the Government would bring about a new “structured maths” curriculum to be introduced from the beginning of 2025, with teachers given the resources to deliver the programme to every primary and intermediate, including through $20 million in professional development, Luxon said.
Twice a year students will be assessed on their performance to this new curriculum, and “small group interventions” would be offered to students who fell seriously behind.
On Monday, Stanford also announced the Ministry of Education would intervene earlier and more often with schools where student achievement was at risk, while the Education Review Office’s (ERO) reporting would also be “overhauled” to focus on student achievement, progress and assessment.
“There will also be clearer reporting to parents on what schools are getting right and what they aren’t,” Stanford said.
Clarification: The story has been updated to clarify the study was carried out last year, but the Government received the results in July. (Story updated August 6, 11.27am.)