NAPLAN 2025 Reveals Persistent Literacy, Numeracy Gaps

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The 2025 National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results show students facing challenges in meeting benchmarks, with significant disparities for remote, Indigenous, and disadvantaged students.

The 2025 National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results, released on July 30, 2025, by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), reveal that approximately 10-12% of students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 are not meeting expected literacy and numeracy standards, consistent with 2024 findings (referring to the ‘Needs additional support’ category). Conducted across nearly 9,500 schools with 1.3 million participants, the tests show a slight improvement in numeracy for Years 5, 7, and 9, particularly among high-performing students, and varied outcomes in reading and writing for primary school students, as reported by The Scone Advocate. Dr. Jordana Hunter from the Grattan Institute noted to the outlet that this uptick in numeracy is encouraging but requires sustained progress to confirm a trend.

Significant gaps persist for specific groups. Only 24% of students in very remote schools achieved “Strong” or “Exceeding” proficiency in literacy, compared to 70.7% in major cities, per ABC News. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, 32–34% across year levels need additional support, three times the national average of 10%, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Students from lower socio-educational backgrounds also lag, with those whose parents hold a bachelor’s degree scoring higher than peers with parents educated to Year 11 or below, as per ACARA’s 2024 data. Dr. Hunter emphasized to The Scone Advocate that Australia must not accept these persistent gaps, pointing to international systems that have improved outcomes through targeted reforms.

The Albanese government’s push for a new school funding agreement, offering a rise from 20% to 22.5% federal contribution, has stalled, with states demanding 25%, per ABC News. Education Minister Jason Clare’s insistence on tying funds to reforms like phonics and numeracy checks has met resistance, with only Western Australia and the Northern Territory signing the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement. Critics in public commentary argue that decades of educational decline demand urgent action, not bureaucratic delays. With NAPLAN participation at 93.8%, a high rate reflecting broad engagement, experts call for evidence-based interventions to address these entrenched disparities.