NAPLAN 2024 Guidelines for managing test incidents in schools

Whether a test incident amounts to cheating is a question of whether there was an intent on the part of the person responsible for the breach to affect the test result or obtain an unfair advantage (whether on behalf of a student, a cohort of students, or a school). [...] The findings of the investigation should be made on both the issue of employee misconduct and the issue of breach of the protocols. [...] Where it is proven that there was no breach of the employer’s conduct requirements, the findings on the investigation should be made on the issue of breach of the protocols only. [...] At the same time as the responsible entity is conducting the investigation, depending on the nature of the breach alleged and its possible consequences, ACARA and the TAA may consider action to address concerns relating to data quality and/or test validity. [...] During the investigation, the responsible entity needs to consider what information it needs to provide to the TAA to support its decision-making with respect to: - whether data have been compromised as a result of the breach, and - what evidence is available to indicate that the test results accurately reflect the work of the affected student(s).