The latest NAPLAN (NAP-lan) test results show Australian school students' scores are stagnating in the areas of numeracy and literacy.
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 take the test.
While results have improved since the testing began in 2008 and some year levels in some states and territories fared well, there is no significant improvement overall in recent years.
Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority chief executive Robert Randall has told the ABC the country should expect more for its children.
The poor scorecard follows two international studies that found Australian students are lagging behind in maths and science education. But it is not all bad news for all students.
In some crucial areas, students from non-English speaking backgrounds performed better than their peers.
Migrant students returned better scores in 19 out of 20 numeracy and literacy categories across primary and secondary schooling.
There was also a definite improvement detected among Indigenous primary-school students.
The NAPLAN results indicate overall gains for Indigenous students in Years 3 and 5 in reading and numeracy, as well as improvements in early learning. Mr Randall says that momentum needs to be built on, nationwide.
Federal education minister Simon Birmingham says the flattening results show educators and policymakers must work together to deliver reforms to lift achievement.
Education ministers meet on Friday (dec 16) to discuss a new deal on school funding, expected to be finalised in the first half of next year and start from 2018.
Mr Birmingham has told the ABC the key is early intervention and targeted funding.
Labor supports fully funding the Gonski scheme for the 2018 and 2019 school years, while the Coalition is trying to negotiate a new agreement to apply from 2018 onwards.
Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek has told the ABC the Government should reconsider its stance.
