Abstract:
This paper will present a content analysis of school leavers' certificates provided at the system level in the various States and Territories. Both Year 10 and Year 12 certificates will be included and the analysis will examine what is reported, in what format, and to which audiences. Where judgements are made about the quality of evaluations, whether minimum standards are specified, whether any attempt is made to provide parity of esteem across school subjects and across levels within subjects,and if and how aggregate scores are determined. From a summary of this infor- mation, implications will be drawn for aspects of achievement which are not reported. This will be contrasted with policy in England on reports for school leavers. The tensions between reporting achievement and providing a basis for future selection will be considered as well the unresolved conceptual, ideological, technical and practical issues in profile reporting.