Schools and the SACE Board use a range of quality assurance processes to assure the community that students' results are fair, valid, and reliable. SACE quality assurance processes are organised into a four-phase cycle that involves the SACE Board, principals, teachers, and students. The four phases are:

1. Planning

In the planning phase, teaching, learning, and assessment opportunities are devised to enable students to demonstrate their learning against all aspects and levels of the performance standards. Teachers prepare a teaching and learning program and develop a learning and assessment plan.

2. Clarifying

In the clarifying phase, teachers and assessors develop an understanding of the performance standards and how to apply them consistently to student work.

3. Confirming

In the confirming phase, the performance standards in each subject are applied consistently across schools to report student achievement.

Moderation is used in Stage 2 subjects to confirm that, for the 70 per cent school assessment component, the A+ to E- assessment levels are consistent with the subject's performance standards and have been applied correctly and consistently across schools.

For the external assessment component at Stage 2, the consistent application of the performance standards occurs through the marking, supervision, and grade determination panel processes.

4. Improving

In the improving phase, school and SACE Board quality assurance processes are monitored and analysed to develop improvement strategies.