New Yorkers United for Kids

Requesting aggregate refusal numbers from your local education authority

Parents across Australia have grown louder in calling for transparency around standardised testing, especially around how many families actually sit the papers. Asking for the raw count of refusals per subject is a practical first move.

In New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, families have pushed back against high-stakes exams like NAPLAN and year-level assessments. Knowing the exact numbers helps parents, teachers, and community advocates understand how widespread the resistance really is.

Once you have those figures, you can compare your local school to the state average, lobby your principal, or take the case to your local member. This guide walks through how to write a clear, courteous request that is hard to ignore.

The process draws on freedom-of-information principles that work similarly across Australian states and the United States, so the advice travels well. Adjustments are noted where the frameworks diverge.

Why aggregate refusal data matters

Parents often sense that opt-outs are common, but a vague impression is not enough to influence school policy. Hard numbers shift conversations from anecdote to evidence, giving weight to concerns about student wellbeing and excessive testing.

Aggregate counts, the totals per subject, are usually non-identifying information. That distinction matters because personal student data is protected under federal privacy law, while a cohort summary sits in the public interest category.

Drafting a written request that stands up

Keep the request short, polite, and specific. State the exact data you want: the number of students enrolled versus the number who sat each subject test, broken down by year level and test session.

Include the date range, the name of the school, and a preferred response method. Mention that you understand privacy obligations apply and that you are only seeking aggregated figures. Close with a reasonable deadline, typically fourteen to twenty-one days.

A useful model for the structure of such a letter comes from why-some-parents-advocate-for-replacing-common-core-with-local-standards, which shows how clarity and brevity can turn a policy complaint into a constructive request.

Routes available in Australian states

In Victoria, parents can write directly to the school principal and request an answer within thirty days, with escalation to the regional director if needed. New South Wales uses a similar pathway, though the state education department publishes some refusal data annually.

Queensland families sometimes go through their local Member of Parliament to expedite a slow response, a tactic borrowed from teachers' unions engaging state ministers. Western Australia has a Freedom of Information pathway that applies to departmental records but not always to individual schools.

South Australia and Tasmania tend to be more responsive to direct enquiries, partly because the systems are smaller. The Northern Territory and ACT fall under their own education statutes, so a quick check of the relevant act is worthwhile before sending anything.

If the first request is refused or ignored

A polite follow-up within two weeks is standard practice. Restate the request, attach the original letter, and ask for a written reason if the answer is no. Keep emotions out of the correspondence, as decision-makers take written reasoning more seriously than a heated exchange.

If the school still refuses, lodge a formal complaint with the state education ombudsman or the relevant review body. In Queensland this is the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority; in NSW it is the department's complaints handling unit.

Parents in remote areas have found success by joining with other families before sending the request. A letter from ten parents from the same school zone carries more weight than one from a single household.

Working out the numbers you receive

Once the figures arrive, divide the number of refusals by the total enrolment to get the opt-out rate for each subject. A rate above ten per cent usually signals a meaningful level of community concern; rates above twenty per cent warrant a public conversation.

Compare the results across subjects. A spike in the writing test may reflect concerns about marking reliability or time pressure, while a spike in numeracy might point to anxiety about calculator use or question formats.

Share the findings with your school council, the Parents and Citizens association, and any local media. Cross-reference with national trends reported by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority to give the numbers context.

Turning data into practical action

Aggregate data lets parents lobby for changes that matter, such as reducing the number of high-stakes assessments, scheduling tests at less stressful times, or giving families a genuine opt-out without academic penalty.

School boards respond to evidence. A slide showing the refusal rate rising from four per cent to nineteen per cent over three years is harder to dismiss than a handful of personal stories. Combine the numbers with brief, respectful testimonials and the case becomes compelling.

For those interested in how parents elsewhere frame similar demands, the work of global education advocates offers a useful comparison. Their focus on community-led solutions mirrors what is starting to grow in suburban Melbourne and Brisbane.

Information to include in your letter

Common reasons schools cite for not releasing data

The most practical next step is to draft your letter this arvo using the template above, then send it to your school principal by registered post or email so you have a record. Once you have the response in hand, you will know whether a follow-up or a broader campaign is the better path forward.

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