New figures show Tasmanian students score below the national average in most literacy, numeracy and writing benchmarks.
The national report on schooling measures how years 3, 5 and 7 students across the country compare on key benchmarks.
It shows year 3 and 5 students in Tasmania score slightly above the national average on reading but are below in writing and numeracy.
The figures are worse for year 7 students.
The report shows Tasmania is significantly under-performing in reading and writing, although the students are slightly above the national average in numeracy.
This year students in year 3, 5, 7 and 9 will undergo nationally standardised tests.
But the Education Minister, David Bartlett, says Tasmania has improved relative to some states in a few categories.
"There are other things that certainly need to improve, and as I've said, we've put in place programs last year that will, in coming years, have an impact," he said.
"And we'll also be working this year for more resourcing and a really rigorous approach to literacy across the board from the early years to adulthood."
The Opposition Leader, Will Hodgman, says the government needs to invest more in education.
"Tasmanian parents should be very alarmed at what we are seeing happen to our education system," he siad.
"Things have actually got worse under Labor in this state, and David Bartlett needs to accept the reality of the situation - not be self indulgent (but) acknowledge that there is a real problem in Tasmania."
ABC Online