The National Assessment Program (NAP) is an important investment made by all Australian governments. It is an asset that helps measure the health of Australian school education. This report considers how the usefulness of the NAP can be enhanced to improve our evidence base about the successes and challenges of the Australian school system.

This paper draws on the latest National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data to discuss student participation and engagement with the tests – factors which impact the quality and usefulness of the results. The paper highlights important considerations for interpretation of student results and future implementation of NAPLAN.

This national snapshot presents findings on the current use of evidence by teachers and leaders in Australian schools. The authors examine attitudes towards and use of various types of evidence, and challenges and enablers in using evidence.

This report describes ways that schools can build teachers’ and leaders’ confidence in using research evidence, and why this is important. It presents findings from independent surveys conducted by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the Monash Q Project.

Using evidence-based practices, and using them well, is a critical way to improve student outcomes. This summary focuses on four evidence-based practices with a well‑documented evidence base.