Contentious National Standards data online today

Controversial data from about 100 Hawke's Bay schools which rates the academic achievement of children will be made public on a government website today.

National Standards data which measures the reading, writing and mathematics performance of students in Years 1 to 8 will be published on the Ministry of Education's website - www.educationcounts.govt.nz - for the first time.

The data measures students' 2011 achievement in the three subjects into four levels: Well below, below, at or above a national standard.

However, the accuracy and reliability of the data has been hotly debated since the directive was legislated by the National-led government in 2008.

Intended by the Government to report clearly to parents and identify what students needed help, there were widespread concerns that data was not moderated across schools - meaning what was graded as "above standard" at one school could be graded "below" at another - and would therefore be an inaccurate measure.

Hawke's Bay Primary Principals' Association president and Mahora School principal Rohan Pearse said there was "apprehension" among local principals ahead of today's publication.

"I would say that there is certainly apprehension around how that information will be used in the community and if it will create league tables," he said.

"This information has already been shared with schools' boards and many communities anyway, so the information is already out there."

He said principals agreed data sharing was really important but other factors needed to be considered, too.

"I agree that data is really important because it provides clear information for targeting where help is needed, but data is only one component, while an important component, it is only one.

"In terms of parents picking a school for their child they want to come into the school - they want to know the data, but also want to know the culture of the school and the opportunities for their children, it's about getting the fit right."