Equity of educational outcomes
Educational outcomes can differ between the more advantaged and less advantaged students.
Relative equity of literacy outcomes
This measure shows the performance gap in reading between the most and least educationally advantaged groups of public school students. It does this by looking at results for students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 using annual NAPLAN data.
Between 2018 and 2021 the equity gap in reading narrowed from 57 points in 2018 to 49 points in 2021. This was despite the challenges of the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The equity gap widened to 58 points in 2022.
This confirmed that the sustained duration of the pandemic has had a more significant impact on the learning of less advantaged students in the ACT.
These results, following a gradual narrowing of the equity gap since 2018, show there is more to do.
The result, however, aligns with information shared by schools that the extended impact of the pandemic was visible to different degrees on both individual and groups of students. This was particularly evident for students in the early years.
Data source
ACT Education Directorate, unpublished NAPLAN data.
Chart description
Line graph of the NAPLAN literacy performance gap between the most and least advantaged students in points in the ACT, by year from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, the gap measured 58 points compared to 49 points in 2021.
Technical notes
The difference in mean NAPLAN points between most and least advantaged students (for all NAPLAN years) provides an indication of how much educational outcomes may differ depending on relative backgrounds.
The goal of the ACT Government is to reduce the outcomes gap over time, setting annual targets for public school students.
Most and least educationally advantaged students are determined based on whether their parents have a degree qualification.
Relative equity of numeracy outcomes
This measure shows the performance gap in numeracy between the most and least educationally advantaged groups of public school students. It does this by looking at results for students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 using annual NAPLAN data.
Between 2018 and 2021 the equity gap in numeracy narrowed from 45 points in 2018 to 39 points in 2021. This was despite the challenges of the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The equity gap widened to 52 points in 2022.
This confirmed that the sustained duration of the pandemic has had a more significant impact on the learning of less advantaged students in the ACT.
These results, following a gradual narrowing of the equity gap since 2018, show there is more to do.
The result, however, aligns with information shared by schools that the extended impact of the pandemic was visible to different degrees on both individual and groups of students. This was particularly evident for students in the early years.
Data source
ACT Education Directorate, unpublished NAPLAN data.
Chart description
Line graph of the NAPLAN numeracy performance gap between the most and least advantaged students in points in the ACT, by year from 2018 to 2022. In 2022, the gap measured 52 points compared to 39 points in 2021.
Technical notes
The difference in mean NAPLAN points between most and least advantaged students (for all NAPLAN years) provides an indication of how much educational outcomes may differ depending on relative backgrounds.
Most and least educationally advantaged students are determined based on whether their parents have a degree qualification.
The goal of the ACT Government is to reduce the outcomes gap over time, setting annual targets for public school students.
