17326 (2026). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister of Education

17326 (2026). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister of Education: What guidance, if any, has been provided to ensure consistent interpretation of achievement data across schools during the transition to new and updated assessment tools?

Hon Erica Stanford: A wide range of guidance and supporting professional learning and development opportunities are available in 2026. While schools already know that they can find assessment guidance on Tāhūrangi under ‘Assessment Practices,’ new guidance has also been made available under ‘Reporting to Parents.’ This includes information about gathering, moderating and using dependable assessment evidence to support schools to ensure judgements of student progress and achievement are consistent. As part of effective implementation, new tools also come with their own specific guidance to ensure schools can use them effectively. Guidance for the Phonics Checks and SMART are available on Tāhūrangi. Similar guidance will be made available to support the Year 2 Maths & Pāngarau Check when it is closer to implementation (later this year). Mapping tables for e-asTTle have also been provided to support those schools and kura who are still using the tool this year. If schools or kura require further support with their assessment or aromatawai practices, they can register for targeted or guided professional learning and development opportunities, or they could explore self-directed modules on the Ministry of Education’s Learning Management System. More information about these opportunities can also be found on the Ministry PLD website.