Councils have launched a bid that could see them secure a reduction on the millions of pounds they pay to the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in annual exam fees.
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) has confirmed it is in "active discussions" about the levy "in recognition" of the extent to which schools have undertaken activities such as marking, moderation and invigilation under the alternative certification model (ACM). The SQA also said talks had taken place.
It comes after new figures revealed the agency's net expenditure will fall by more than £7 million following formal cancellation of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams.
TES Scotland has reported that the ACM is costing just under £7m in 2021, although this total does not include permanent staff, overheads and indirect costs.
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The SQA - which gets around £29m in annual fees from schools, colleges and councils - has indicated there are no plans for rebates and said its Scottish Government-agreed budget "assumes continued payment of the levy at the existing rate".
Earlier this week, a survey showed the majority of school leaders in England want a refund of at least 75 per cent after GCSEs and A-levels were axed.
When asked if Cosla, which represents councils, was in talks to secure exam fee reductions, a spokeswoman said: “Local authorities and schools are continuing to work at pace to support alternative certification for national qualifications.
"We are committed to working to minimise the disruption as a result of the pandemic and to ensure the best possible outcomes for all our children and young people.
“Councils have worked productively with suppliers and providers across a range of service areas throughout the pandemic to find reasonable approach to payments. Across portfolios we have endeavoured to take a fair, sustainable, and transparent approach to continuing payments, drawing on consistent principles.
“In recognition that resources have been required within local authorities to support the alternative certification model, and in line with our wider principled approach to payments for suppliers, we have held very initial discussions with the SQA around the annual levy paid by local authorities for 2021.”
She added: "These are active discussions which we are not able to provide any further comment on at this time.”
The development comes amid anger over the impact of alternative assessment on pupils, who have endured a relentless diet of tests since schools reopened following the second lockdown.
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The SQA told TES that its costs were “largely fixed and have not reduced as a result of the cancellation of the exam diet and need to continue to be funded. Therefore, although the NQ [national qualification] income...is more than the current anticipated additional costs of the 2021 awarding model, the figures are not comparable”.
It added: “The SQA budget for 2021-22, as agreed with Scottish government, assumes continued payment of the levy at the existing rate. The costs of awarding National Qualifications, including this year, are greater than the contribution made by local authorities in the form of a levy."
The SQA also said that the "costs of awarding National Qualifications, even this year, are greater than the contribution made by local authorities in the form of a levy, and entry fees charged to independent schools and colleges".
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It continued: "The levy and entry fees have not changed since 2012-13.
“Despite there being no full exam diet this year, there is still a significant amount of work involved in making sure learners receive the qualifications they deserve.
"The costs published in the [TES Scotland] FOI relate to directly identifiable costs only and exclude SQA salaries, overheads and any related indirect costs. They do not give a full picture of the total costs of awarding National Qualifications in 2021 and are therefore not comparable with the costs of delivering an exam diet.”
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