Educators’ voices and experience help shape preschool assessment tool 

Teachers and educators have completed more than 1,000 assessments across 236 services nationally as part of the Preschool Outcomes Measure pilot. The educator's feedback is helping refine the national tool, including how easily it can be used and how it supports planning for children’s learning. This feedback is vital and is progressive in ensuring that the tool being developed is being built within the early childhood and educational programs and with qualified and experienced educators across various states, regional and metropolitan areas.

At present there are 691 teachers and educators participating, with 25 professional learning sessions delivered to date. 

The two-year pilot commenced in 2026 and continues into 2027, following on from a prototype trial in 2025. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) is delivering this on behalf of Australian, state and territory governments.

Feedback shared by a participant who highlighted the opportunity to be involved to refine the tool said the “Excitement of being able to use the tool again and help to shape a really usable tool moving forward. It's also really valuable to be able to get a clear snapshot of where the children we assess are at in their learning.”

Testing how assessment fits into everyday practice

The pilot is examining whether the tool is useful to teachers and educators, testing to ensure it can work across different preschool settings and will support children from diverse backgrounds. It is also exploring how assessment can show learning and development over time.

The national tool focuses on two areas:

1. Oral language and literacy, and 
2. Executive functioning

ACER describes these areas as including how children understand and use language, maintain attention, remember instructions involving several steps and approach tasks.

Assessment experiences are designed around educator to child interactions, with information intended to help educators recognise children’s strengths and plan suitable next steps. The pilot is testing how that approach can be integrated into existing practice, with feedback informing changes to the tool, professional learning and implementation support.  

Different tools, shared national learning progressions

All states and territories are involved, but they are taking different approaches. The ACT, NSW, Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia are piloting the national tool. Queensland is using its Kindergarten Learning Progression Toolkit, while South Australia and Victoria use the Early Years Assessment and Learning Tool. These alternative tools are aligned with the national learning progressions, allowing states to build on work already underway.

An independent evaluation will inform future decisions by the education ministers about outcome and measurement. Services interested in participating should check with their state or territory education department, as recruitment arrangements and opportunities differ. 

Read the pilot progress update here.