Unclear methodology for calculating school component scores for selective tests

Girish Bangalore made this Government Information (Public Access) request to NSW Department of Education

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Girish Bangalore

Dear NSW Department of Education,

The methodology used to calculate the school component scores is not clear from the explanation given on your website; I refer to this page:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-scho...

The explanation is opaque and confusing. It talks about 'scaling' and 'moderation' of school assessment scores obtained. Is there a clearer way of explaining the methodology? It is fine if you use concepts such as mean and standard deviation but what is unclear is the concept of moderation and scaling of the school assessment scores.

Yours faithfully,
Girish Bangalore

Correspondence, SHSOC, NSW Department of Education

Dear Girish Bangalore

The process for calculating the placement score is complex. It involves the statistical process of scaling. Moderation is also scaling but we use a different word for school assessment scores to distinguish it from the test scaling process.

If you are unfamiliar with these processes you can search the internet and there are many sites which will explain how those processes occur.

Yours sincerely
 
(Ms) Magda Pollak
Leader | High Performing Students Team | Business Systems
T +61 1300 880 367 | F 9266 8435 E [email address]
Locked Bag 53 Darlinghurst NSW 2010

     
W  education.nsw.gov.au   | W  education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes
Twitter @NSWEducation  |  Facebook @NSWDepartmentofEducation  |  YouTube NSW Department of Education  |  G+ NSW Department of Education
I acknowledge the homelands of all Aboriginal people and pay my respect to Country

Dictated using Dragon Professional software. I apologise for any transcription errors which remain unnoticed before sending.

-----Original Message-----
From: DECinfo <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 March 2019 8:07 AM
To: Magda Pollak <[email address]>
Cc: Correspondence, SHSOC <[email address]>
Subject: FW: Government Information (Public Access) request - Unclear methodology for calculating school component scores for selective tests

Dear Magda,

Good morning.
We are hoping that you, or someone from your team, may be able to respond to the below email?
Please advise us one a response has been sent, for our records only, or advise if we need to refer elsewhere.
Many thanks.

Regards,
Lisa Faddoul
Schools and Community Senior Information Officer Strategic Communication - Communication & Engagement Level 2, 105 Phillip Street Parramatta 2150 T 02 7814 1530  |  E [email address] NSW Department of Education

I acknowledge the homelands of all Aboriginal people and pay my respect to Country.

Confidentiality: This email is from the NSW Department of Education. The contents are confidential and may be protected by legal professional privilege. The contents are intended only for the named recipient of this email. If the reader of this email is not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any use, reproduction, disclosure or distribution of the information contained in the email is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please reply to us immediately and delete the document.

-----Original Message-----
From: Girish Bangalore <[FOI #5308 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 14 March 2019 10:21 PM
To: DECinfo <[email address]>
Subject: Government Information (Public Access) request - Unclear methodology for calculating school component scores for selective tests

Dear NSW Department of Education,

The methodology used to calculate the school component scores is not clear from the explanation given on your website; I refer to this page:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-scho...

The explanation is opaque and confusing. It talks about 'scaling' and 'moderation' of school assessment scores obtained. Is there a clearer way of explaining the methodology? It is fine if you use concepts such as mean and standard deviation but what is unclear is the concept of moderation and scaling of the school assessment scores.

Yours faithfully,
Girish Bangalore

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