Victoria’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Mr Ben Carroll has ordered a root-and-branch review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) following revelations some VCE exam questions were inadvertently leaked online ahead of this year’s exam period.
The Victorian Government will also install an independent monitor to oversee next year’s exams.
The VCAA will undergo a full external review of its structure and operations, to provide full confidence to Victorian students, families and schools. A team of external reviewers will be appointed to examine all elements of the VCAA’s operating model.
In addition, an independent monitor will work with and provide guidance to the VCAA, and advise the government of the VCAA’s role regarding exam preparation, management and production.
A person of appropriate standing and expertise will be appointed to commence in the role early in 2025. Terms of reference will be developed to outline the monitor’s roles and responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Victorian Government is working with the VCAA to use a robust and nationally-recognised assessment tool to ensure every student is assessed fairly.
The VCAA will use the existing anomalous grade check process for the VCE exams impacted by the errors, a well established process used by the VCAA to ensure student results are fair and equitable.
Similar processes including a consideration of disadvantage process were used by the VCAA during COVID-19.
This process will:
- Review student marks in the affected exams and identify any anomalies in how students have responded to the affected questions.
- Analyse if any discrepancies are identified and if so, further analysis will be undertaken. This could include comparing how students performed compared to other students, and how students performed on other examinations.
- Adjust student marks if any questions are identified as providing anyone with an unfair advantage. This could mean invalidating questions and awarding all students who sat this exam a full mark if necessary.
The implementation of this process will be overseen by an independent advisory panel of experts chaired by Professor John Firth. Professor Firth is a former CEO of the VCAA and supported the development of the Consideration of Disadvantage Process during COVID-19 and is familiar with the anomalous grade check process.
Professor Firth will be joined on the expert panel by Dr Nathan Zoanetti, Research Director, Methodology and Measurement with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the internationally regarded education measurement expert and former Chair of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Professor Barry McGaw AO.
The CEO of the VCAA, Ms Kylie White has resigned her position. The Secretary of the Department of Education has appointed Dr Marcia Devlin AM, the CEO of the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, to act in the role of Interim CEO pending a permanent appointment.
“I have instructed the VCAA to take all necessary action to ensure that all students are treated fairly, and no student is disadvantaged in the marking of this year’s exams,” Mr Carroll said.
“I am satisfied that, supported by additional independent experts, the right processes are in place to ensure that that every single student has the best chance to achieve their best.
“The root-and-branch review of the VCAA that will commence in January 2025 should ensure the cause of these errors is clearly identified so they are not repeated,” he said.
Students, parents and carers who have any questions about this process should first contact their school who has received information from the VCAA.
