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Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards Listing and Operational Rules 2022

The rules about listing standards on the DASS and operational matters

If you prefer, you can download these rules as a PDF:

Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards Listing and Operational Rules 2022 [PDF, 1.9 MB]

1. Authority

  1. These Rules are made under section 452 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

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2. Commencement

  1. These Rules commence on the 28th day after the date of approval by the Minister under section 452(5) of the Education and Training Act 2020.

3. Interpretation

1. In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:

Act means the Education and Training Act 2020

classification means the field, sub-field or domain for a standard

consent and moderation requirements means the standard-setting body requirements listed for standards that relate to the particular skills and knowledge of teachers and assessors, any special resources required for assessing against the standards, learner access to resources, practical experience, and national external moderation

credit value means the number of credits, with each credit representing ten notional learning hours

Directory means the Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards provided for in section 437 of the Act

level means any of levels 1 to 10 of the NZQCF

level descriptors means the descriptors in the NZQCF (available on NZQA’s website)

NZQA means the New Zealand Qualifications Authority

NZQCF means the Qualifications and Credentials Framework described in section 436 of the Act

standard-setting body means an “approved standard-setting body” within the meaning of section 438 of the  Act

status means current, expiring, or discontinued status of the standard, as described rule 5

Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance means applying Te Hono o Te Kahurangi whare ako framework and quality assurance tools for listing standards on the Directory, as that framework and those tools are published by NZQA from time to time on its website

WDC means a workforce development council as defined in section 10(1) of the Act.

4. Assessment and skill standards details to be listed on the Directory

  1. The details for all assessment and skill standards listed on the Directory are:
    1. a title that reflects the outcomes of the standard:
    2. a classification, credit value and level (consistent with the level descriptors):
    3. a purpose statement:
    4. the outcomes and criteria to be achieved (including learning outcomes for skill standards):
    5. grades that can be awarded on achievement of the standard:
    6. learner prerequisites:
    7. guidance information directly relevant to the assessment or performance of the standard:
    8. the name and contact details of the standard-setting body:
    9. the intended period for ongoing review, being no longer than 5 years from listing: 
    10. the referenced consent and moderation requirements:
    11. a status assigned to each standard in accordance with rule 5.
  2. Standards will not be listed at levels 7 to 10 for qualifications that are degrees or post-graduate qualifications.

5. Status of standards

  1. Standards on the Directory will be assigned one of three kinds of status: current, expiring or discontinued.
  2. Standards with current status can be used for assessment of learners by education organisations in accordance with the Act.
  3. Standards with expiring status are those which are being:
    1. replaced with a new standard:
    2. discontinued (normally resulting from a review or due to lack of use of the standard for an extended period of time).
  4. An expiry date will be applied to each expiring standard, at which time the standard will attain discontinued status.
  5. Learners may be enrolled in standards with expiring status only if assessment of the learner is able to be completed prior to the date the standard attains discontinued status.
  6. Standards with discontinued status may no longer be used for assessment of learners, credits for them may no longer be awarded, and the listed details may only include those described in paragraphs (a), (b), (j) and (k) of rule 4.1.

6. Amendment of standards and listing details

  1. At the request of a standard-setting body, or where NZQA considers it necessary in the circumstances, NZQA may amend the standard or listing details. 
  2. Where NZQA considers it necessary to amend the standard or listing details, NZQA will provide the standard-setting body with reasonable notice and an opportunity to respond to the proposed amendments.

7. Removal of a standard from the Directory

  1. NZQA will remove a standard (and its associated details) from the Directory where it identifies errors in the listing of the standard. 
  2. NZQA will provide the standard-setting body with reasonable notice and an opportunity to respond to removal of standard from the Directory.

8. Applications to list standards on the Directory

  1. Applications to list standards on the Directory may be made by standard-setting bodies, and must contain:
    1. the details listed in rule 4.1:
    2. evidence that the standard is acceptable to the relevant sector (this may include the education sector) or industry and to providers that will be using them in study or training:
    3. an explanation of the intended use of the standard.
  2. A standard will not be listed on the Directory if it:
    1. unnecessarily duplicates a standard that is listed, except where that listed standard is being replaced; or
    2. creates unreasonable restrictions on the mode of assessment; or
    3. creates unreasonable barriers to access in terms of gender, ethnicity, or cultural background.
  3. NZQA will advise applicants if any aspects of the application require further work.
  4. Where NZQA is satisfied that the application contains all the relevant details, NZQA will advise the applicant that the standard has been approved, and will proceed to list the standard on the Directory.
  5. Where NZQA is not satisfied that the relevant details have been provided, or not satisfied that the content of the details is sufficient for listing, NZQA will not approve the application or list the standard.
  6. The Ministry of Education is the only standard-setting body that may apply to list achievement standards, and where the Ministry does apply:
    1. NZQA must be satisfied the achievement standards are based on the National Curriculum Statements provided for in section 90 of the Act:
    2. NZQA will only list the achievement standards at levels 1 to 3:
    3. one of two assessment modes must be specified (internal or external).

9. Requests for Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance

  1. When applying to list a standard on the Directory, an applicant may request that Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance is used for assessment of the application.
  2. An applicant making a request under Rule 9.1, in addition to providing the information required under rule 8.1, must provide the information that the Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance framework and tools require.
  3. NZQA will evaluate a request made under Rule 9.1, together with the information supplied, in accordance with Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance.

10. Responsibilities relating to standards

  1. A standard-setting body must:
    1. review the standards it listed within the specified review period using the review guidelines published by NZQA on its website:
    2. undertake national external moderation in accordance with the consent and moderation requirements in accordance with rule 10.3:
    3. keep the consent and moderation requirements current, and review them within their review period, following the guidelines published by NZQA on its website.
  2. In addition to the requirements of rule 10.1, WDCs must report annually to NZQA on the performance of the national external moderation system in accordance with guidelines published on the NZQA web site, including reporting of concerns about the performance of any participating tertiary education organisation (for example, if an organisation does not properly engage in the national external moderation process).
  3. The national external moderation referred to in paragraph (b) of rule 10.1 must:
    1. ensure assessment practice is fair, valid, and consistent:
    2. be appropriate to the nature of the learning outcomes and assessment evidence collected:
    3. provide confidence that learners have achieved the specified standard:
    4. provide confidence in the reliability and consistency of assessor judgements about learner performance:
    5. be cost effective:
    6. focus on improving assessment practice:
    7. specify roles and responsibilities within the moderation system:
    8. specify the requirements for collecting assessment samples and moderation activities.
  4. Where NZQA considers that a standard-setting body is not meeting its responsibilities under rules 10.1 or 10.2, NZQA will notify the standard-setting body and seek its views including any remedial action the standard-setting body intends to take.
  5. After considering the views provided by the standard-setting body under rule 10.4, where NZQA considers it appropriate to do so, NZQA will notify the Tertiary Education Commission.

11. Listing of Australian units of competency on the Directory

  1. NZQA will list a coversheet for an Australian unit of competency on the Directory where:
  2. it contains the relevant details specified in rule 4 and NZQA is satisfied the content of the details is sufficient for listing;
  3. the standard does not duplicate an existing standard listed on the Directory; and
  4. a copy of the relevant written agreed arrangements between the applicant standard-setting body and an Australian Industry Training Advisory Body or Skills Council is provided.

12. Revocation

  1. The Directory of Assessment Standards Listing and Operational Rules 2021 are revoked.