Several outlets report that Western Australia has significantly reduced the length of public school report cards, with teachers facing caps that can cut the amount of written feedback by up to 75 per cent. The changes include directions that school staff provide only remarks focused on students’ progress in mathematics and English. Other types of commentary that may have been included previously—such as broader learning areas or additional contextual information—are no longer expected to be added within the restricted space.
The move has prompted concerns from parents and people within the education sector. Critics say the shortened format may reduce the amount of detailed feedback available to families and limit the scope of information teachers can share about a student’s broader learning and development.
The reports describe the changes as an administrative adjustment to report writing requirements, rather than a change in school curricula. However, the reduced word allowance and narrowed focus are presented across sources as the key drivers of the backlash and debate.
