NAPLAN isn't the be-all: Birmingham

Parents shouldn't view their children's NAPLAN results as the be-all and end-all of how well they're doing in school, the federal education minister says.

Simon Birmingham, responding to the latest figures showing school kids' achievements continuing to flatline, says while the government uses the measure to make policy decisions, parents shouldn't be too caught up.

"It is important to appreciate NAPLAN is not the sole determinant of school performance ... and for parents, they need to appreciate that NAPLAN is not the be-all and end-all," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.