02 Aug 2013
Personalised Learning and Support Signposting Tool (PLASST) – 2013 Trial
I am pleased to advise that during the next few weeks our school, along with other public schools in the area, will be participating in the trial of a new tool for teachers to identify the learning and support needs of students. PLASST stands for Personalised Learning and Support Signposting Tool.
This trial is focussed on the development of a sound and reliable online tool that, when finalised, can be used by teachers in collaboration with parents and carers to identify the strengths and educational needs of students with additional learning and support needs. This information will assist schools in planning and personalising learning and support for individual students who require adjustments in their day to day learning.
To assist with the delivery of the trial, the Department of Education and Communities has contracted an independent analytics and program management provider, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). PwC will also analyse the data collected from the trial and recommend adjustments to the tool before it is made available to all NSW public schools in 2014.
The trial will take place between July and September 2013 and involve up to 550 selected schools.
Teachers will complete a questionnaire about the educational needs of some of their students and submit their responses online. All data will be held in a secure web database designed specifically by PwC for the trial. The data supplied to PwC through the trial will not provide any names of individual students.
Students will not be required to complete any additional work or be formally assessed during the trial. This trial will not impact on students' education provisions.
If you have any questions about the PLASST trial, would like to discuss your child's possible involvement or would prefer that your child does not participate, please telephone the school.
If you need help with English to make an enquiry contact the Telephone Interpreter Service on 131 450 and ask for an interpreter in your language. The operator will call the number you provide and get an interpreter on the line to assist you with your conversation. You will not be charged for this service.
Yours sincerely
Michael Hooker
01/08/2013
The Department of Education and Communities follows the requirements of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 in the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of personal information.