VET FEE-HELP Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN)
assessment tool information
What process needs to be followed to approve a provider’s LLN assessment tool and who should the application
be sent to?
Applications for approval of a tool for assessing a student’s competence in reading and numeracy are required to be
made by a VET provider in the approved form.
They should be sent to the Department of Education and Training for consideration. This could be in electronic or
paper form, via:
o TSEnquiries@education.gov.au; or
o The Branch Manager
VET FEE-HELP Branch
Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 9880
CANBERRA ACT 2601
In deciding whether to approve an assessment tool the department is required to have regard to the document
Assessment of LLN testing instruments and processes for VET FEE-HELP providers Report (Stage 2) (the Report).
The provider must arrange to have the assessment tool they propose for approval independently reviewed. The
Report sets out some comments on the body or person that might undertake this review, to which regard must be
had. However, in determining the appropriateness of the body or person that has undertaken the review the criteria
the department will give particular weight to the following:
•
•
absence of real or apparent bias or conflict of interest, particularly indicated by:
o independence from the product assessed (e.g. absence of propriety, commercial or financial
interest; not involved in its development; not involved in its use; not associated with an organisation
that uses the tool; etc.)
o independence from ‘selling’ adult LLN assessment tools (i.e. no current, material commercial,
financial or similar interests)
o independence from the applicant registered training organisation (RTO) (e.g. not employed or
subcontracted by the RTO to provide training and assessment; no other involvement or interest in
the operations of the RTO; etc.)
has the necessary expertise, particularly indicated by:
o expertise in conducting such approval or auditing processes, preferably within the VET sector
o expertise in adult LLN assessment including with the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).
The findings of the body or person, including sufficient details of those findings, and relevant details of the
evidence and other materials relied upon in reaching those findings, should be documented against the
Checklist of Auditable Requirements for Foundation Skills assessments included in Appendix I of the Report.
The review by the independent expert must be evidence based.
The review and assessment of a body or person that does not meet the above criteria, or does not appropriately
document findings, is unlikely to be given weight in the decision making process.
In order for an application to be in the approved form it must contain the following information, evidence and other
material:
Information, evidence and other material an application must contain to be in the approved form for the
purposes of Subclause 38(2) of the Higher Education Support (VET) Guideline 2015
1. Applicant VET provider’s name
2. Contact information for the VET provider for the purposes of the application
1
3. Registered business name of the applicant VET provider (if different)
4. Any other business name(s) of the applicant VET provider
5. HITS ID of the applicant VET provider
6. Business address of the applicant VET provider
7. Name/description of the language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) testing instrument(s) proposed for
approval (including version and other relevant identifiers as necessary)
8. Name and other relevant details of body/person undertaking the review of the proposed LLN testing
instrument
9. Certification/information from the body/person undertaking the review of the proposed LLN testing
instrument, as follows:
a. Name/description of the LLN testing instrument(s) reviewed (including version and other relevant
identifiers as necessary)
b. Declaration of any potential conflicts of interest, or that there are no conflicts of interest, and
specifically:
i.
Certification of their independence from the tool assessed
ii.
Certification of their independence from ‘selling’ adult LLN assessment tools
iii. Certification of their independence from the applicant RTO
c. Details of their particular relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience, and specifically:
i.
Details of their expertise in reviewing LLN testing instrument(s)
ii.
Details of their expertise in LLN assessment, including with the Australian Core Skills Framework
d. Certification of their findings (including sufficient details of those findings, and relevant details of the
evidence and other materials relied upon in reaching those findings), documented in accordance with
Appendix I: Checklist of auditable requirements for LLN testing instrument, to the document
Assessment of LLN testing instruments and processes for VET FEE-HELP providers, as published by the
Department from time to time. Copies of the evidence and other material relied upon in reaching the
findings are to be submitted with the checklist
Applications that do not meet the approved form requirements may be considered invalid.
As and when assessment tools are approved, details will be published on the department’s website if the tool is
approved for use by any provider. Whenever feasible we will aim to approve an assessment tool not only for the
applicant provider, but also for all providers.
Assessment tools currently available for use by any provider to meet the entry requirement procedure are as
follows:
•
•
the software platform titled Core Skills Profile for Adults, published by the Australian Council for Educational
Research Limited in July 2013, as the platform exists on 1 January 2016 (for information https://www.acer.edu.au/cspa)
Basic Key Skills Builder (bksb) (Australian Edition) (for information - http://www.bksb.com.au)
www.education.gov.au
2