Lead

One in three Australian students are failing to meet national benchmarks in literacy and numeracy, with average reading scores going backwards for most age groups in this year's NAPLAN tests. The results, released Wednesday by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (Acara), show little improvement since tougher marking was introduced in 2023, prompting education experts to describe the underperformance as a "national tragedy."

The tests were taken in March by 1.2 million students across years 3, 5, 7 and 9 to measure literacy and numeracy proficiency. Participation was down compared with last year due to industrial action in Tasmania and flooding in the Northern Territory, leading Acara to not report Tasmanian state-level results as they lagged "far below" the body's data standards for accurate reporting. The tests were also disrupted by a technical issue on the first day for students completing writing papers in years 5, 7 and 9. Acara said national average scores in writing remained similar to last year but included a caveat for results instead of implementing marking adjustments.

Coverage comparison

ABC Australia and The Guardian — World both reported on the decline in literacy skills and the concerning proportion of students not meeting expectations. ABC Australia emphasized the urgency of addressing low literacy skills, quoting experts who called the results "stagnant" and a "national tragedy." The Guardian — World noted that average reading scores had gone backwards for most age groups, a detail also present in the Acara data.

Both outlets highlighted disparities in results between students from different socio-economic backgrounds and gender differences in literacy and numeracy outcomes. They also reported that about 10 per cent of students need additional support to catch up to their peers.

ABC Australia provided additional context, noting that NAPLAN results are not a diagnostic test and encouraging parents to keep results in perspective. The outlet also reported on improvements at Ardeer Primary School and discussed explicit teaching methods that can improve literacy skills.

Key claims

  • One in three Australian students are not meeting NAPLAN benchmarks across reading, numeracy and writing, a proportion that has not budged since 2025.
  • About 10 per cent of students need "additional support" to progress, meaning they are not working towards expectations.
  • Average reading scores in years 5, 7 and 9 went backwards compared with 2025, while year 3 reading scores were stable. The average proportion of students "exceeding" and "strong" in reading was 66.3 per cent, down from 68.2 per cent last year.
  • There were some improvements in national numeracy levels since the tests were reset in 2023, with 67 per cent of students meeting benchmarks and 29,000 more students "exceeding." Gains were also evident among Indigenous students.
  • Disparities in results exist between students from different socio-economic backgrounds, and gender differences in literacy and numeracy results are present.
Professor Tanya Serry from La Trobe University said it was the fourth straight year that NAPLAN tests have shown hundreds of thousands of students not meeting the mark. "My personal view is that I'm very concerned. My colleague called it a national tragedy," she said. "The reason it can be considered a national tragedy is the research evidence tells us we should be seeing about 90–95 per cent of students learning to read."

Blaise Joseph, a former teacher and education analyst at the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), called for urgent action, noting NAPLAN tests the basic skills needed for later learning. "It's really imperative at this point that we find a way to get them up to the standard, so they've got those fundamental literacy and numeracy skills," Mr Joseph said. "Those skills are so crucial for later life. All your learning is based on those foundations of literacy and numeracy."

Perspectives

Professor Tanya Serry (La Trobe University): Low literacy skills can be linked to poorer employment and health outcomes later in life if not addressed early. She encourages parents not to shy away from a low score but not to be too alarmed, as NAPLAN is not a diagnostic test and represents "one snapshot in time." She advises parents to speak to their child's school and to engage children in conversation and reading at home.

Blaise Joseph (Centre for Independent Studies): NAPLAN tests fundamental skills crucial for later learning, and the current results demand urgent action to get students up to standard. He emphasizes that literacy and numeracy foundations underpin all future learning.

Sally Larsen (University of New England): The test is useful as a "national snapshot" but cautioned against putting too much stock in any one test, as individual scores are not exact measures of ability and other factors can affect results.