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New Zealand Requires Schools to Prioritize Core Educational Outcomes in Strategic Plans. New Zealand is changing its strategic planning rules for schools. School boards will now be required to include at least one goal related to student achievement in reading, writing, or mathematics in their strategic plans.
The change comes as the country continues to debate the long-term decline in educational outcomes. According to the OECD’s PISA 2022 assessment, New Zealand’s 15-year-old students still performed above the OECD average in mathematics, reading, and science. However, achievement has declined significantly compared with previous years, particularly in mathematics. Between 2012 and 2022, the share of students who failed to reach the minimum proficiency level in core skills increased by 6 percentage points in mathematics, 4 percentage points in reading, and 4 percentage points in science.
The OECD also reported that New Zealand’s mathematics results deteriorated significantly between 2018 and 2022, while reading and science showed a longer-term negative trend. At the same time, the organization cautioned that the PISA 2022 data should be interpreted carefully because of certain sampling limitations. Nevertheless, the decline in educational achievement is also confirmed by other assessments.
Progress
Under the new rules, school boards must set at least three strategic goals, one of which must relate to student achievement in at least one core subject. Schools will still be able to establish additional goals, developed through consultation with their school communities.
Accountability
The changes also affect accountability requirements. Schools will no longer be required to explain in their strategic plans how their goals align with national education strategies. However, using those strategies will not be prohibited, and schools will continue to be responsible for identifying and supporting the needs of students from different groups.
Deadline
The new strategic plans must take effect on January 1, 2027, and be submitted to the Ministry by March 1. The Ministry of Education plans to publish updated planning and reporting guidance at the beginning of the fourth school term in 2026.
The Ministry’s official statement does not say that the regulatory changes are directly linked to the PISA results. However, the decision reflects a broader policy context in which New Zealand is seeking to strengthen the connection between teaching foundational skills, measuring student achievement, and strategic planning in schools.
