New Yorkers United for Kids

How To Petition For A Moratorium On High-Stakes Testing

A well-organised petition can give parents, teachers and students a clear way to ask an Australian state parliament to pause the use of high-stakes assessments. The strongest campaigns focus on a specific policy change, document its effects and show that concern exists across several communities, rather than treating a signature as the whole campaign.

In Australia, NAPLAN is a national assessment, while state and territory governments control many school policies and accountability practices. A petition to a state MP or MLC can therefore seek a moratorium on punitive uses of test results, excessive school comparisons, or decisions that attach major consequences to one examination period.

Define The Moratorium Clearly

Start by deciding what you want paused. “Stop high-stakes testing” may attract attention, but a legislator needs wording that can be translated into a motion, bill, ministerial request or committee inquiry. You might seek a temporary suspension of school rankings based on NAPLAN, the use of standardised scores in teacher evaluation, or mandatory consequences for students who do not meet a benchmark.

Research the assessment system before drafting. NAPLAN has changed in recent years, including its reporting arrangements and testing calendar, and its administration involves national and state bodies. A useful comparison of another testing program appears in this PARCC background, which can help campaigners identify concerns about test design, data collection and accountability without assuming that American rules apply in Australia.

Your petition should state the requested action in one sentence. Follow it with two or three evidence-based reasons, such as student anxiety, narrowed classroom learning, inequitable effects on disadvantaged schools, or concerns about the public release and secondary use of student data.

Check Parliamentary Requirements

Each Australian jurisdiction has its own petition rules. Before collecting signatures, visit the relevant parliament’s website and check whether the petition must be addressed to the Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council or a minister. Requirements may cover the wording, principal petitioner, Australian residential addresses, signature verification, electronic submissions and the number of copies required.

A state MP can advise on procedure, but their office cannot rewrite a petition after it has been signed. Contact electorate offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin or Canberra as appropriate, and ask for the current guidance in writing. A local member may also explain whether the petition can be presented during a sitting week or referred to a committee.

Avoid claims that overreach the evidence. A short source list can include official NAPLAN material, peer-reviewed research, school policy documents, parliamentary reports and testimony from affected families. Distinguish between a documented fact, a parent’s experience and a campaign position.

Build A Broad Local Coalition

Begin with a small organising group representing more than one perspective. Parents may describe sleep loss or distress around assessment days; teachers can explain curriculum pressure; students can describe how repeated testing affects learning and attendance. Disability advocates, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, regional schools and education researchers can identify impacts that a single family may miss.

Keep the campaign practical for Australian routines. A sign-up sheet at a school fete, library, community centre or weekend farmers’ market may reach people who do not follow education campaigns online. At school pick-up in outer Melbourne or western Sydney, provide a brief printed explanation and a QR code that leads to the approved petition rather than asking people to read a long statement on the spot.

Use respectful language about teachers and schools. The target is a policy choice, such as attaching high consequences to test results, rather than individual educators who must administer the assessment.

Organise Your Petition Drive

Prepare consistent materials before publicising the petition. Everyone collecting signatures should use the same title, request, evidence summary and privacy notice.

Useful campaign materials

Set a modest first milestone, such as signatures from one electorate, then publish progress by suburb or region without exposing private details. Do not promise that every signatory will receive political updates unless they have separately agreed to that use.

Details To Record

Treat personal information carefully. The federal Privacy Act 1988 may apply to some organisations, while state and territory privacy laws can cover public schools and agencies. Store paper forms securely, restrict access to the organising team and set a deletion date for information no longer needed.

Address Wellbeing And Privacy

High-stakes assessment can affect sleep, attendance, confidence and classroom relationships, but individual experiences should be shared with consent. Remove children’s names, school identifiers and medical details from public posts. If a family wants to describe test anxiety, let them approve the wording before publication.

Some overseas advocacy resources discuss medical opt-out letters, including this guidance on test anxiety support. Australian families should treat it as general background, not as legal or medical advice: exemption rules, doctor roles and school procedures differ between jurisdictions. A GP, psychologist or school wellbeing professional can explain appropriate local support.

Include data privacy in the petition if it reflects your community’s concerns. Ask who receives test results, how long records are retained, whether information is linked with other datasets and whether families can challenge inaccurate records. These questions are especially relevant as schools adopt more cloud platforms and commercial education software.

Present Evidence And Maintain Pressure

Request a meeting with the relevant minister, opposition education spokesperson, crossbench members and local MPs. Bring a concise briefing containing the petition text, signature total, demographic or geographic summary, research citations and several anonymised personal accounts. Explain the precise action you want: a review, a legislative amendment, a temporary suspension or a ban on particular uses of results.

After delivery, monitor Hansard, committee calendars, ministerial statements and education budget documents. Report accurately when an MP accepts the petition; acceptance does not mean endorsement. Send supporters a factual update and invite them to attend a public hearing, write a personal submission or contact their own representative through official channels.

The most effective petition is specific enough to act on, broad enough to represent a community and careful enough to earn trust. Put the requested moratorium, evidence sources, privacy safeguards and parliamentary destination on one page before collecting the first signature.

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