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Media Release
$700 FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND IN READING
19 May, 2004 MIN 708/04
In an Australian first, parents of year 3 children who need help to read at a minimum standard expected of children their age will be given $700 for individual reading lessons.
This Australian Government initiative will provide funding of up to $6.85 million to support a new pilot Tutorial Credit Scheme.
The Howard Government will offer $700 to parents who have received information that their child did not achieve the Year 3 national reading benchmark in 2003, enabling them to purchase special help for their child.
Under this pilot, every family with a child who has not met the minimum benchmark in Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory will be sent a $700 tuition credit (example attached).
These four jurisdictions currently report to parents their child’s performance against national benchmark standards – the other states do not report that information to parents and hence parents do not know if their child needs this sort of assistance.
Parents will be able to use the tuition credit to choose the most appropriate type of assistance for their children.
Many parents seek tutoring for their children. This pilot will examine its place in government policy.
The best prospects for success are where parents support their children to gain the vital literacy skills they need.
This year, the scheme will assist around 8,000 students in Year 4 in these States and Territories and will be available during Terms 3 and 4. The tuition credits will be administered by brokers following a request for tender.
Experienced tutors, including school teachers, will be able to register their interest in providing tuition. Especially in more remote areas, it is envisaged that school teachers will play a significant role in provided credit tuition outside school teaching hours.
Literacy skills are the foundation for life, work and personal development.
The Howard Government is committed to improving the literacy and numeracy standards of all Australian children and ensuring that all parents receive information on their children’s literacy and numeracy achievement against the national benchmarks.
The national benchmarks are the minimum literacy and numeracy standards needed to make satisfactory progress in school. In 2001, 10% of Year 3 students did not meet the national reading benchmark.
Tuition credits will be provided to parents based on 2003 benchmark data that was
supplied to parents by relevant jurisdictions. The most recently published
MCEETYA benchmark figures (2001) appear in the following table.
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Year 3 Reading Benchmark Results, 2001
MCEETYA, National Report on Schooling in Australia, ABS Schools 2001 publication (cat no. 4221.0) |
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State/Territory |
Estimated number of students not meeting the benchmark |
Percentage of students not achieving the benchmark |
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Victoria |
6470 |
11.0% |
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Western Australia |
1210 |
5.0% |
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Northern Territory |
865 |
32.0% |
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ACT |
212 |
4.9% |
Sample Tutorial Credit which will be provided to parents
For further information on accessing the tuition credit or becoming a registered provider of tuition services please call:
Toll Free number, Department of Education, Science & Training 1800 655 476
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Laila Lacis 0412 040 034
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