[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora

Thank you for the information request below. The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).

Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request on or before 5 June 2026. If more than 20 working days are needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.

Ngā mihi

Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education | AG
education.govt.nz

We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga

-----Original Message-----
From: CMC <[FOI #34630 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 7 May 2026 6:36 am
To: Enquiries National <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - SMART tool data use

[You don't often get email from [FOI #34630 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

Dear Ministry of Education,

Tēnā koutou,
I am writing to make a request under the Official Information Act 1982 for internal communications relating to the Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting Tool (SMART).
This request is limited to communications created between 1 September 2025 and the date of this request.

Information Requested
I request the following categories of information:
1. Ministerial communications
All emails, briefing notes, meeting notes and written communications between Ministry staff and the Minister of Education or the Minister's office that discuss any of the following in relation to SMART:
The use of SMART data for any purpose
The extension of SMART to Years 9 and 10 School performance reporting using SMART data 2. Internal Ministry communications All emails and written communications between Ministry staff at senior leadership level — including Deputy Secretaries, General Managers and their direct reports — that discuss any of the following in relation to SMART:
The use of SMART data
Requests from other government agencies for access to SMART data Any proposal to share SMART data with any other government agency or third party The extension of SMART to Years 9 and 10 3. Communications with Janison All emails and written communications between Ministry staff and Janison Solutions Pty Ltd that discuss any of the following:
The use of New Zealand student data by Janison for any purpose AI marking and the data used to support it The extension of SMART to Years 9 and 10 4. Ministerial briefings All briefing papers and ministerial briefings prepared between 1 September 2025 and the date of this request that discuss SMART, its data or its expansion.

Format of Response
Where documents are withheld or redacted I request that you specify the precise ground under the Official Information Act on which each withholding decision is made, and provide a schedule listing each withheld document with sufficient description to allow me to assess whether to seek review.

Timeframe
I request that the Ministry respond within the statutory 20 working day timeframe.

Note on Scope of Search
I request that the Ministry's search include all channels of communication used by relevant staff and Ministers in relation to the matters described above and not limit its search to official Ministry email systems alone.
Where communications are claimed to be legally privileged or advice to Ministers I request that the Ministry identify such documents in its schedule and specify the precise basis on which privilege is claimed.

Right of Review
I am aware of my right to seek review of any decision to refuse or limit this request by the Office of the Ombudsman and I intend to exercise that right if I consider the Ministry's response inadequate.

Ngā mihi
Yours faithfully,

CMC

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34630 email]

Is [Ministry of Education request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry of Education? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

________________________________

DISCLAIMER:
This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Education accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry.

hide quoted sections