Achievement trends for a Chch principal.

We have high standards and they are not "declining". This crisis is manufactured.

From Professor Terry Crooks, co director NEMP, EARU, Otago University.

PISA 2006, at age 15, in 57 countries

Mathematics literacy:

New Zealand score unchanged from the 2003 and 2000 assessments

Five countries higher than NZ (Chinese Taipei, Finland, Hong Kong-China, Korea, Netherlands).

NZ indistinguishable from Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Australia (and others)

NZ well ahead of UK and USA

NZ had 14% at Level 1 proficiency or lower, compared to OECD average of 21%.

Reading literacy:

New Zealand score unchanged from the 2003 and 2000 assessments

Three countries higher than NZ (Korea, Finland, Hong Kong-China).

NZ indistinguishable from Canada, Ireland (and others)

NZ ahead of Australia, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, UK, Austria, Germany, FRance, Norway, ETC.

NZ had 15% at Level 1 proficiency or lower, similar to Australia at 13%, compared to OECD average of 20%.

Scientific literacy:

New Zealand score unchanged from the 2003 and 2000 assessments

Two countries higher than NZ (Finland & Hong Kong-China).

NZ indistinguishable from Canada, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Korea (and others)

NZ ahead of 46 countries, including UK and USA.

NZ had 14% at Level 1 proficiency or lower, similar to Australia at 13%, compared to OECD average of 19%.

TIMMS 2006, for year 5 students

NZ mathematics score unchanged from 2002, improved from 1994

NZ science score decreased from 2002 but unchanged from 1994.

PIRLS 2006

NZ reading literacy score unchanged from 2001 (no earlier comparison on same metric)

NEMP, 1995 to 2008, year 4 and 8 in 15 curriculum areas

Remakable consistency in performance. No clear trends, with occasional fluctuations .