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Terms of Reference for the 2025 Review into the VCAA and role of the Independent Monitor

A record of the Terms of Reference outlining the scope and approach for the Review and Independent Monitor, in response to issues arising from the 2024 VCE examinations.

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The 2025 Review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

The Independent review of the VCAA in response to issues arising from the 2024 VCE examinations has been finalised and the Stage 1 and Stage 2 reports have been released. The government has accepted all recommendations.

Terms of Reference for the Review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

At the Minister for Education’s request, the Secretary of the Department of Education has established a full ‘root-and-branch’ Review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) in response to issues arising from the 2024 Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) examinations.

Dr Yehudi Blacher PSM has been appointed as the Lead Reviewer and will be supported by expert advisors commissioned to advise on workstreams related to their areas of specialisation, including curriculum and assessment, and organisational design and governance.

The Review will:

The Review has 2 concurrent streams of inquiry:

  1. A detailed review of the issues associated with the production of the 2024 VCE exams.
  2. A review of the VCAA’s structure, operations, culture and capability, including benchmarking and comprehensive consultation with VCAA staff and key stakeholders.

A Stage 1 Report will be provided to the Minister and Secretary into the issues related to the production of the 2024 VCE examinations. This will include recommendations to strengthen the VCAA’s processes for the 2025 VCE exam series to ensure that these issues are not repeated. Margaret Crawford has been appointed as an Independent Monitor to provide assurance that the VCAA is fully implementing these recommendations.

A Stage 2 Report examining all elements of the VCAA’s operations – addressing delivery of the VCE examinations as well as its other key statutory functions – will provide recommendations and a blueprint for the future operation of the VCAA to ensure it acquits its responsibilities to the highest standards.

Scope

The Review will include a detailed analysis into the exact circumstances leading to the issues related to the production of some of the 2024 VCE examinations and of all elements of the VCAA’s operating model.

The Review will address the adequacy of the VCAA’s structure, operations and capability to deliver its key functions as set out in section 2.5.3 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (ETRA), including:

As part of the Review, the Lead Reviewer and expert advisors will consider the findings and recommendations from the Independent review into the VCAA’s 2023 VCE examination-setting policies, processes and procedures (the Bennett Review) and any other relevant prior reviews.

Approach

The Lead Reviewer, supported by the expert advisors, will:

To facilitate this work, the Lead Reviewer has been delegated powers to require the provision of information from the VCAA, and to permit the Review to advise the Secretary and the Minister of, and to work with and provide guidance to the VCAA on, any relevant findings or matters, under section 13A of the Public Administration Act 2004.

The Independent Monitor will consider recommendations from the Review of the VCAA’s structure and operations that go to the failures associated with the 2024 VCE exams, to inform monitoring of the VCE exams.

Governance

The Lead Reviewer will report to the Secretary of the Department of Education. The expert advisors will report to the Lead Reviewer.

Resourcing

The Lead Reviewer is being supported by a specialist team from a third-party organisation with governance, project management and organisational design expertise, together with administrative support sourced by the Department of Education.

The VCAA Independent Monitor

Terms of Reference for the 2026 VCE examinations and VCAA Governance and Change Management

At the Minister for Education’s request, the Secretary of the Department of Education has established an Independent Monitor to provide advice and assurance regarding the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s (VCAA) end-to-end preparation and delivery of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) examinations, including compliance with legislative obligations and published guidelines. The role is being carried out by Margaret Crawford PSM.

This function was established in response to issues arising from the 2024 VCE examination series, and was recommended for extension by Dr Yehudi Blacher in the Review into the VCAA - Stage 2 Report. The report noted that the extension of the Independent Monitor in 2026 will be particularly important over the coming period with a new Board, new appointments being made into senior management positions, and the implementation of wide-ranging reforms, while ensuring that the VCAA’s core functions are delivered to the highest standard.

To this end, in 2026, the Independent Monitor will also consider the VCAA’s establishment of a refreshed governance framework and change management processes to ensure that the VCAA is best placed to implement findings of previous reviews, and deliver high-quality outcomes for Victorian students.

The Independent Monitor will report to the Secretary and will provide early information on key observations to the Secretary, the VCAA Board and CEO of VCAA to support the early rectification of any major issues as they arise.

The Independent Monitor was appointed in December 2024 and will continue their work throughout the 2026 school year, concluding in January 2027.

Scope

The Independent Monitor will provide assurance regarding the adequacy and progress of each stage of the 2026 examinations development and delivery process, including the General Achievement Test (GAT):

The focus will be on assuring that the VCAA’s protocols and processes for each of the above stages as outlined in published guidelines and legislative obligations are being implemented with fidelity, and appropriate risk procedures are in place. Examinations for all VCE subjects are within scope, including both written and performance examinations.

The Independent Monitor will assess the adequacy of VCAA’s refreshed governance framework and change management processes, and the internal systems and processes to support these, to ensure that they are effective and designed to enable VCAA to implement the recommendations of previous reviews.

Matters that are out of scope for the Independent Monitor include:

Approach

The Independent Monitor will:

To facilitate this work, the Independent Monitor has been delegated powers to require the provision of information from the VCAA, and to permit the Independent Monitor to advise the Secretary and the Minister of, and to work with and provide guidance to the VCAA on, any relevant findings or matters, under section 13A of the Public Administration Act 2004.

Governance

The Independent Monitor reports to the Secretary of the Department of Education.

Resourcing and support

The Independent Monitor is being supported by a specialist team from a third-party organisation with governance, change management, audit and project management expertise together with administrative support sourced by the Department of Education.

Education & training

Updated 27 March 2026

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