Employers can expect more job applicants with greater knowledge of maths, science and technology.

Parents and students can expect less stress in the HSC years and clearer expectations of workloads. They can have greater confidence that hard work will be rewarded and cheating further deterred.

NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli has pledged to keep pestering his federal colleagues for a two-year Gonski commitment. Until that comes, a cloud remains over the ability of the NSW public system to support reforms that help all students.

But at least the drop in skills among NSW students has been identified in a thorough process that has produced a pathway to improvements.

The core reform unveiled by Mr Piccoli this week is designed to lift the numeracy and literacy standards required of students before they can receive their HSC.

Global comparisons show only 12 per cent of Australian students achieve the highest proficiency level for reading, 14 per cent for scientific literacy, and 15 per cent for mathematical literacy.

At present about 24 per cent of year 9 students are at or below the national minimum standard for reading and about 19 per cent fall below the minimum standard in numeracy.

Under the NSW reforms students will have to achieve band 8 or higher at year 9 NAPLAN tests to qualify for the HSC. Notably, those who fail first time will be supported to take further tests before and/or after the HSC.

While many have already flagged fears of greater pressure to perform in year 9, that's hardly a reason to keep allowing students to fall through the cracks and study for the HSC without the necessary basics. 

Some will NSW dropped the school certificate recently, when that might have offered a better way of externally testing and improving basic skills.

Some might prefer that literacy and numeracy be specifically tested in year 11, rather than gaining extra focus in revised curricula.

Those debates aside, these reforms are a necessary step towards bringing the NSW education system into the 21st century.