Under new NSW Government artificial intelligence (AI) reforms aimed at protecting student learning, schools will be limited to a maximum of one take-home assessment task worth no more than 15% of the school-based assessment mark – or 7.5% of the total HSC mark.
The advice from the NSW Education Standards Authority follows a request made by Acting NSW Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car, for NESA to examine measures to protect student learning amid the rapid rise in the use of AI in schools.
Under the current rules, half of a student’s HSC result is based on school-based assessment, with schools determining how much of that 50% is assessed through take-home tasks and how much is completed in class.
The new rule will limit schools to one take-home assessment task worth no more than 15% of the school-based assessment component.
“School communities are concerned about the tide of AI technology impacting our classrooms, which is undermining learning, thinking, creativity, and hard work,” said Minister Car.
“NSW is leading the nation in our response to AI in schools, and mitigating risks to the HSC is a critical first step to deal with the rapid intrusion of AI into our learning and brain development.
“The message this sends to schools and communities more broadly is that we are committed to protecting the teaching and learning happening in schools.
“When students outsource their learning – whether that is to tutors, classmates, or artificial intelligence – they are missing out on the rigorous, high-quality education they need to set themselves up for the future.”
The Minister said schools will still be able to use a range of assessment types appropriate to each course, including examinations, oral tasks, and process diaries.
HSC major works are not included in the restrictions, but schools are still required to authenticate students’ work. Some courses with assessment tasks linked to the development of major works will also be exempt, including courses across the creative arts, technologies, and English Extension 2.
The advice comes before the Class of 2027 begins their HSC studies in Term 4 this year, providing schools and teachers with certainty as they finalise their assessment programs.
The limit will also apply to students beginning Year 11 in Term 1, 2027.
The NESA Board will now consider additional subject-specific advice, as well as guidance for teachers, to be released to schools from next year for the 2028 HSC and beyond.
The NESA Board, which includes representatives of the public, Catholic, and independent school sectors, as well as high school principals and education unions, strongly supported the need to protect students’ learning and the integrity of the HSC.
“These immediate measures being put in place are an important starting point while we consider additional ways to support schools who share our objective of protecting student learning,” said NSW Education Standards Authority CEO, Paul Martin.
“Generative AI may offer students a short-cut to complex school work, but it bypasses the opportunity to build knowledge and learning.
“It is not an overstatement to say the consequences of that could be severe over time.
“We have a moral obligation to the students and teachers of NSW to protect the learning process, the integrity of assessments, and to maintain confidence in the HSC credential.”
Based on current evidence, the decision gives schools the flexibility to choose assessment types that are appropriate to the nature of each course, while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place.
