An independent evaluation has found that the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system delivers high-quality, fair and reliable results for Queensland students.
The evaluation by the Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre (AERC) at The University of Melbourne also identified opportunities to strengthen the system further.
In this video, the QCAA Chief Executive Officer Claude Jones highlights the key findings and outlines the QCAA’s next steps.
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I'm pleased to share the findings of an independent evaluation of the Queensland Certificate of Education system.
The evaluation was conducted by the University of Melbourne's assessment and evaluation research centre and the overall message is positive.
The evaluation confirms that Queensland has a strong, fair and reliable senior schooling system. It found that our syllabuses are strong and meet internationally recognised quality criteria.
It found that our quality assurance processes are working well with marker agreement rates above 90% and improving.
Our external assessment development and marking processes are high quality and comparable with highly regarded assessment programs internationally.
And it found that student results are reliable.
The evaluation also found that confidence in the QCE system has grown since the current system was introduced in 2019. These findings are a credit to Queensland teachers, school leaders, the school sectors and school communities.
Their professionalism and commitment are central to the quality of the system. But a good system should always be looking for ways to improve.
The evaluation has identified six areas where we can strengthen, including making information more accessible and easy to understand, continuing to build assessment capability across schools, strengthening our use of data, and continuing to improve our governance and review processes.
We welcome these recommendations, and we're committed to acting on them. We've published our initial response alongside the full evaluation report and we'll work with stakeholders as we develop our implementation plan.
For students and families the key message is simple. You can have confidence in the QCE system. It is rigorous, fair, and provides a range of learning options that prepare students for multiple pathways into work, training, or university. And we'll keep working to make it even better.
What the evaluation found
The evaluation report comprises nearly 200 pages of analysis drawing on stakeholder surveys, school case studies, focus groups, psychometric data and international comparisons.
Evaluation report
The evaluation found that:
- Assessment results are reliable and fair. Score reliability exceeded accepted standards for high-stakes assessments, and statistical analysis found minimal bias across demographic groups, including gender, First Nations status, geographic location and language background.
- Syllabuses are strong and well-regarded. The curriculum framework meets quality criteria recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Teachers and school leaders also rated the syllabuses highly, describing them as clear, rigorous and useful in practice.
- Quality assurance processes are working well. Endorsement and confirmation processes are effective. Provisional mark agreement rates are above 90% and continue to improve. Provisional mark agreements are the preliminary marks teachers agree to award student work before results are formally confirmed through the QCAA’s quality assurance processes.
- Stakeholder confidence has improved. Public confidence in the QCE system has grown since the current system was introduced in 2019. School leaders, parents and employers expressed strong confidence in the system’s fairness and reliability.
- The QCAA has successfully delivered a complex reform. The new QCE system brought significant change to senior schooling, and the evaluation found that the transition has been managed well.
Areas for ongoing improvement
As with any complex system, the evaluation identified opportunities to strengthen the QCE system further. The AERC made recommendations across 6 strategic areas:
- Make public information clearer. Improve information about the QCE system so it is easier for parents, students and the community to understand.
- Strengthen independent oversight. Broaden external representation to bring a wider range of expertise and perspectives to decision-making.
- Coordinate research and evaluation. Develop a coordinated agenda to support continuous, evidence-informed improvement.
- Build assessment capability. Strengthen assessment capability across Queensland schools and support it over time.
- Strengthen monitoring and review. Improve monitoring and review processes, including the review of credit awarded for VET qualifications.
- Expand data analysis. Make greater use of psychometric and longitudinal data to support quality assurance and reporting.
Our response
The QCAA has developed an initial response to the report’s 6 recommendations. This is our starting point as we prepare to consult stakeholders and work towards an implementation plan.
Resources
The resources below provide a summary of the evaluation findings for schools, families and the wider community.
Frequently asked questions
The QCAA commissioned The University of Melbourne’s Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre (AERC) to independently evaluate the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system.
The evaluation looked at the system’s effectiveness, fairness and sustainability and identified opportunities to strengthen it further.
The QCAA commissioned an independent evaluation to provide an impartial assessment of how well the QCE system is working and whether it delivers fair outcomes for Queensland students.
The evaluation also helps identify opportunities to strengthen the system and support its ongoing quality and reliability.
The University of Melbourne’s Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre (AERC) conducted the evaluation, led by Professor Therese N. Hopfenbeck and a team of internationally recognised researchers.
An independent advisory group, including Professor Barry McGaw, provided scholarly oversight.
The evaluation found that the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system is strong, well designed and working effectively. It found that assessment results are fair and reliable, syllabuses are high quality, quality assurance processes are effective and stakeholder confidence has grown.
The evaluation also identified six strategic areas where the QCE system can improve further.
Yes. The evaluation found that assessment results are reliable and show minimal bias across demographic groups, including gender, First Nations status, geographic location and language background.
Processes to quality assure school assessments and student results are effective with more than 90% provisional agreement between school marking and QCAA checks.
QCAA assessors review and endorse school-based summative assessment tasks before students complete them. After marking, independent confirmers check a sample of student work from every subject and school. The QCAA develops, administers and marks external assessments under controlled conditions.
Yes. The evaluation identified opportunities to strengthen the QCE system, including clearer public information, stronger governance, continuing to build assessment capability in schools and more advanced use of data. These opportunities can help build on a system that is already working well.
The QCAA has published an initial response and will develop an implementation plan for all six strategic recommendations. We will consult stakeholders as we develop and implement the plan.
No. The evaluation found that the core design of the QCE system is sound, so it will not change fundamentally. Any changes will be targeted, carefully managed and communicated well in advance.
Current students can be confident that the QCE system is reliable and their results fairly reflect their learning. Any improvements will be introduced progressively and will not disrupt students’ current studies or results.
The evaluation recognised the critical role teachers play in the QCE system and recommended continued investment in professional development and support for schools.
The evaluation compared the QCE system with international best practice in syllabus development and found that Queensland compares favourably. It found that the external assessment process is comparable with some of the most highly regarded assessment programs in the world.
The evaluation found that information about Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) is comprehensive and accessible online. It also found no statistically significant bias between students who receive adjustments and those who do not. The QCAA will investigate whether students’ experiences of AARA vary across different groups.
The QCAA has published the full evaluation report and our response to be open about the findings and the actions we will take. This gives parents, students, teachers and the community a clear view of what the evaluation found and how the QCAA will respond.
Finding out more
For questions about the evaluation, please email: QCAASecretariat@qcaa.qld.edu.au.
- Last updated:
- 10 September 2026
