Making local meaning from national assessment data: a Western Australian view

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the support provided to all three education sectors in one state of Australia to assist school leaders in the analysis and interpretation of their school's performance on state‐wide and subsequent national assessments of Literacy and Numeracy in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. Design/methodology/approach – This is a case study, presented from the perspective of the chief investigator over a ten‐year period. The approach is an interpretive one, involving reflection on action and some external qualitative evaluation data. Findings – The case study illustrates the need for those involved in large‐scale assessment aimed at school improvement to adopt a long‐term view, understanding that the use of data to inform and change school practices, pedagogical and administrative and cultural, takes time and a great deal of support. Research limitations/implications – The paper does not purport to provide empirical evidence, nor does it attempt to provide experimental or quasi‐experimental conditions. Practical implications – The paper aims to provide policy makes and educational authorities with information to assist in understanding the long‐term nature of using data for school improvement. Originality/value – The paper presents an account of a decade of involvement with a project designed to assist schools to make use of large‐scale assessment data to inform and stimulate school improvement. The paper is original because of the length of engagement in this project, and its broad scope, involving all schools in one state of Australia.