H. Applying for approval of an external LLN tool

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You can apply for approval of an external tool for assessing a student’s competence in language, literacy and numeracy (LLN). The Secretary must be satisfied the tool is a valid, reliable, fair and well-constructed way of assessing whether competence is at or above Exit Level 3 in the ACSF.

The tool must address the relevant criteria in and be independently reviewed against the Assessment of LLN testing tools and processes for the VET Student Loans Program document published by the department.

Your application must contain all the required information (see below).

You must upload applications to HITS. See the chapter on ‘Uploading a Document’ in the HITS User Guide for further information. You must also complete the online enquiry form on Provider Enquiries to let us know you’ve uploaded an application.

We will approve the tool if your application contains all the required information and the tool meets all requirements.

Required information

About you

Your application must contain:

  • your legal entity names
  • contact information for the purposes of the application
  • registered business name (if different)
  • any other business name(s)
  • business address

About the language, literacy and numeracy testing tool

You must include:

  • name/description of the LLN testing tool(s) proposed for approval (including version and other relevant identifiers)
  • name and other relevant details of the organisation/person reviewing the tool
  • certification/information from the organisation/person reviewing the tool, as follows:
  • name/description of the LLN testing tool(s) reviewed (including version and other relevant identifiers)
  • declaration of any potential conflicts of interest, or that there are no conflicts of interest, and specifically:
    • certification of their independence from the tool assessed
    • certification of their independence from ‘selling’ adult LLN assessment tools
    • certification of their independence from the applicant RTO
  • details of their particular relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience, and specifically:
  • details of their expertise in reviewing LLN testing tools
  • details of their expertise in LLN assessment, including with the ACSF
  • certification of their findings (including sufficient details of those findings, and relevant details of the evidence and other materials they relied on in reaching those findings). This must be documented in line with the Appendix I: Checklist for Auditable Requirements for LLN Testing Tools in Assessment of LLN testing tools and processes for the VET Student Loans Program.

Copies of the evidence and other material relied on in reaching the findings are to be submitted with the checklist.

Applications that don’t meet the above requirements may be considered invalid.

Independent review of your proposed LLN tool

You must arrange to have your proposed LLN tool independently reviewed against the Assessment of LLN testing tools and processes for the VET Student Loans Program.

  • In determining the appropriateness of the reviewer, we will give weight to their:
  • absence of real or apparent bias or conflict of interest, indicated by:
  • independence from the product assessed (no proprietary, commercial or financial interest; not involved in its development; not involved in its use; not associated with an organisation that uses the tool)
  • independence from ‘selling’ adult LLN assessment tools (no current, material commercial, financial or similar interests)
  • independence from the applicant RTO (not employed or subcontracted by the RTO to provide training and assessment, no other involvement or interest in the operations of the RTO)
  • possession of the necessary expertise, indicated by conducting:
  • other such approval or auditing processes, preferably within the VET sector
  • adult LLN assessments, including with the ACSF.

The review by the independent expert must be evidence based. The findings of the independent expert should be documented against Appendix II: Checklist of Auditable Requirements for Foundation Skills assessments of Assessment of LLN testing tools and processes for the VET Student Loans Program.

Reviews and assessments that do not meet the above criteria, or do not include findings, are unlikely to be given weight in the department’s assessment of your application.

Provider responsibilities

Your use of the LLN tool comes with the responsibility of developing procedures [part 34] for recording and reporting the results of the assessments.

Your student entry procedure must specify that assessment results must be reported to the student as soon as practicable after the assessment and to the Secretary, if and when required.

Your assessment process must be conducted with honesty and integrity.

You must retain documents obtained or assessments undertaken for the purposes of assessing a student’s academic suitability for at least 5 years.

As and when assessment tools are approved, details will be published on the department’s website. Whenever feasible we will aim to approve an assessment tool not only for the applicant provider but also for all providers.

Legislation: Rules s 81–82, s 105