A report calling for this year's NAPLAN results to be thrown out is under-researched and has no sound basis, advisers of the school tests say.
This year was the first of a three-year online testing rollout, with one in five students in years three, five, seven and nine taking the standardised tests online.
Les Perelman from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Source: SBS News
Two US experts say the online trial has left data incomparable and are calling for the results to be disregarded.
The review, commissioned by the NSW Teachers Federation and led by Les Perelman from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says publishing test results would be "inappropriate and misleading".
"The design and execution of the 2018 NAPLAN make it so flawed that its results are of very limited use to students, teachers, parents, and schools," the report says.
But with interim results due for release on Tuesday, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority maintains the concurrent online and paper tests are comparable.
Chair of the advisory group that provides technical advice to ACARA, Ray Adams, rejects the findings of the critical report and questioned Professor Perelman's expertise in the field.
"Professor Perelman's report is under-researched and lacks the technical understanding required for the analysis of NAPLAN tests and results," Professor Adams said in a statement on Monday.
"Technical comments about scaling and branching suggest a misunderstanding of NAPLAN procedures and analysis, and have no sound basis."
