82Assessment of competence in reading and numeracy for the purposes of paragraph 80(2)(b)

82 Assessment of competence in reading and numeracy for the purposes of paragraph 80(2)(b)

(1) An approved course provider’s student entry procedure must: (a) describe the process (including the tools) for validly and reliably assessing a student’s competence in reading and numeracy against the Australian Core Skills Framework; and (b) specify as a tool to be used as part of that process a tool that is approved by the Secretary under this section and published on the Department’s website; and (c) require that process to be conducted with honesty and integrity. (2) The Secretary may, on application by an approved course provider or a Commonwealth, State or Territory government agency, approve a tool for assessing a student’s competence in reading and numeracy if the Secretary is satisfied that: (a) the tool is a valid, reliable, fair and well‑constructed way of assessing whether that competence is at or above Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework; and (b) the tool has been appropriately verified and evaluated using evidence‑based assessment. (3) In approving a tool under subsection (2), the Secretary must have regard to a document that is published on the Department’s website and sets out: (a) criteria for approval of tools for testing competence in reading and numeracy against the Australian Core Skills Framework; and (b) measures for quality assurance of such tools.

Note: A person or body verifying and evaluating a tool as described in paragraph (2)(b) will also need to have regard to this document.

(4) The Secretary must, as soon as practicable after making a decision under subsection 82(2), give the applicant written notice of the decision. (5) The following are taken to have been approved under subsection (2) of this section: (a) Core Skills Profile for Adults as mentioned in subparagraph 38(1)(b)(i) of the Higher Education Support (VET) Guideline 2015; (b) a tool for assessing a student’s competence in reading and numeracy that is approved under subsection 38(2) of the Higher Education Support (VET) Guideline 2015.