Each year the QCAA endorses thousands of internal assessments before being administered with students in classrooms. This video explains the endorsement process.
Video transcript
In the QCE system, schools set internal assessments for General and Extension subjects and Essential English and Essential Mathematics.
But before schools can use an assessment in class with students, the QCAA checks it is suitable by following an annual process called endorsement.
Schools must develop three summative internal assessment instruments per subject. Summative means that the assessment will count towards a student’s final grade.
The QCAA supports teachers with online training, assessment templates and other resources that help them to design quality assessments.
Each year 1000 QCAA assessors review about 30,000 assessments. The assessors are teachers training in endorsement procedures and their job is to decide if a school’s assessment instrument meets the criteria for endorsement.
They look at the degree to which an assessment has two of the QCAA’s attributes of quality assessment. These are validity and accessibility.
Validity asks whether the assessment will accurately measure what it’s intended to measure. A valid assessment will align with what is taught and learnt in class.
Accessibility is the extent to which the assessment will provide all students with a clear understanding of how to demonstrate what they’ve learnt.
Once an assessment is endorsed, it can be used in class.
If an assessment is not endorsed, the QCAA advises the school of the changes needed and the process and timeline to resubmit it.
We encourage schools to consult with the lead endorser during this process.
The QCAA’s assessors will then review and re-evaluate the reworked assessment.
As before, if endorsed, the assessment can be used in class.
Endorsement gives schools confidence that their assessment will let students show what they know and can do in a subject.
The process also supports teachers to develop quality assessments to a standard that’s comparable across Queensland schools.
- Last updated:
- 24 April 2023
