Ministry puts boards on spot over standards

Education Minister Anne Tolley is pushing ahead with the National Standards plan despite protests. Photo / Christine Cornege

The Ministry of Education has started contacting the board of trustees of every primary and intermediate school to ask about their stance on National Standards.

The calls, which are being made to the heads of 2018 boards, follow a renewed backlash against National Standards in which boards of trustees of 225 schools refused to set student achievements targets for next year until the system was reviewed.

By last night that number had risen to 240, and a spokesman for the group of protesting boards said he expected it to double within weeks as protests against the standards increased.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has also upped her ante, yesterday sending letters to the head of every board in the country.

In the letter, she says there has been some "public argument" about standards which "may have made your job more difficult".

"Given some of the comments being made about National Standards, I believe it is timely to clarify the Government's position."

The letter explains why the standards are being introduced and what measures are in place to help with the process.

Ms Tolley reminds boards that it is their responsibility to ensure schools comply with National Standards and says she is keen to hear any views on them.

But the minister's letter and calls from the ministry appear to have done little to change the minds of the protesting boards and schools.

Boards Taking Action Coalition spokesman Perry Rush said he had received some calls yesterday from board heads who were concerned about the tone of questioning from the ministry.

An Auckland Primary Principals Association email was sent out later in the day urging principals to reassure their boards they were not doing anything illegal and that the "bullying tactics" would not work.

Mr Rush said the minister's letter covered measures she had already taken to try to build assurances about the National Standards policy, but did not go any further.

"She doesn't address any of the fundamental concerns that have been raised and I think that's again just another fluffy confidence-builder.

"Fluffy confidence-builders at this stage just patronising and uncalled for so I don't think boards will be placing too much credence in that advice at the moment."

Mr Rush, who is principal at Island Bay school in Wellington and on the school's board, said he had received hundreds of emails from other schools pledging support.

"We have been very pleased at the reaction of the sector and not surprised about the depth of concern - it's certainly there. We are tapping it and really I think this is the tip of the iceberg.

"It's going to get much more confrontational before it gets any better. I hope the minister will show some leadership soon."

Ms Tolley's spokesman said there was no further comment to make about the letters she had sent yesterday, which were self-explanatory.

A ministry spokesman confirmed calls were being made to the heads of all boards but would not say what would happen once the information had been gathered.

He also confirmed the ministry had a flowchart diagram for staff explaining what to do when schools were not implementing National Standards.

The final step in the chart is replacing boards with a commissioner, but the spokesman said he did not think that had happened at any school.

Meanwhile, two education researchers from Massey University's College of Education say the concerns expressed by protesting school trustees are warranted.

Professor of teacher education John O'Neill said it was a great pity the Government was insisting that an untested policy be implemented despite independent evidence of its potential harm to pupils.

Associate Professor John Clark said the standards were limited in their scope, were not adequately measurable and had not been tested enough - pointing to a high risk of failure.

He said underachievers risked being labelled as failures and being treated accordingly by parents, teachers and peers, placing them at a profound disadvantage.

Think again, father tells school

Peter McKeefry has written to the Board of Trustees at his three children's Wellington school about their decision to boycott National Standards by refusing to set achievement targets for next year.

Mr McKeefry said he could not recall a single board member at Clyde Quay School opposing the standards before the elections this year.

"I believe this is an unacceptable position for the board to take. In particular my concern is that there is an apparent lack of consultation with parents in taking this action," he said.

"The board of trustees has no mandate for this decision. I appreciate that National Standards are not a perfect model - but then nothing is. Tuning can take place and improvements will no doubt be incorporated as the systems are implemented and reviewed."

Mr McKeefry said parents wanted to know how their children were doing and how they could help them at home if they were not up to standard. The new system gave them that opportunity.

"For too long we've not had honesty in reporting from schools. We haven't been told how our children are placed within their class and how they rate nationally and that's all I want."

He has also written to Education Minister Anne Tolley expressing his concern at the school's "disgraceful" actions.

He said many other parents were equally concerned.

Mr McKeefry is urging trustees at his children's school to reconsider their decision, saying there is no good reason for them to oppose the standards.