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Annual Report 2004 - 2005
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Annual Report 2004 - 2005
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Individuals achieve high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes from schools and other providers.
Planning and resourcesIn order to provide a business planning framework and operational focus within the department to support the Australian Government’s long-term outcomes for schools education, four strategic priorities, or medium term outcomes, were identified for 2004–05 (see Figure 3.1). In 2004–05, total resources allocated for Outcome 1 were $8 062 million. The department administered $7 964 million (Administered Appropriations) on behalf of the Australian Government through four administered output groups:
The department used departmental appropriations of $94.5
million and raised over Figure 3.1: Alignment of strategic priorities and administered output groups for Outcome 1
(Please click image) Table 3.1: Resources invested in Outcome 1 in 2004–05
a
AEs—Additional Estimates Notes: An introduction to the school education sectorAustralia’s future prosperity depends on a dynamic and high quality school education system in which all people of school age have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and understandings necessary for lifelong learning, employment and full participation in society. Schools enrol 3.4 million students, employ 265 000 teachers and receive total public funding of around $26 billion each year. Apart from parents, schools – and more specifically teachers exert the greatest influence on the development of children. States and territories have primary responsibility for funding state government schools. They also provide supplementary assistance to non-government schools. The Australian Government is the primary source of public funding for non-government schools, while also providing supplementary assistance to government schools. Most non-government schools have some religious affiliation with over 60 per cent of non-government school students enrolled in Catholic schools. Overall, state government schools enrol 68 per cent of students, and non-government schools enrol 32 per cent of students. To improve the quality of schooling nationally, the Australian Government works with state and territory governments, non-government school authorities, parents, educators and other organisations to seek the best possible outcomes for young Australians. Strategic policy development and delivery of programmes and services at the national level are coordinated through the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). The Australian Government, together with state and territory governments and non-government school authorities, works towards achieving the National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century for all students.4 These goals, which were agreed by MCEETYA in 1999, focus on the learning outcomes of students and provide a framework for national reporting on student achievement and for public accountability by school education authorities. The MCEETYA Performance Measurement and Reporting Taskforce is responsible for developing and implementing measures in eight priority areas identified by MCEETYA Ministers: literacy; numeracy; participation and attainment in education; vocational education and training in schools; science; information technology; civics and citizenship; and enterprise education. Changes have been made to strengthen educational programmes for the benefit of Indigenous Australians to ensure real progress is made in addressing educational disadvantage. The Australian Government provides Indigenous-specific funding to education providers as a supplement to other mainstream funds. This funding is intended for strategic interventions, which aim to accelerate Indigenous students’ learning outcomes. The Australian Government also provides assistance directly to Indigenous students. The Australian Government works collaboratively with education providers, Indigenous communities and other state and territory and Australian Government agencies to ensure that policies and strategies are mutually supportive, culturally appropriate and acknowledge the disparate needs of Indigenous communities. Governments are increasingly focusing on ways to provide a range of educational pathways for all young people and especially alternatives for those who are classified as ‘at risk’. Some of these pathways will be offered through the traditional school system, which must be developed and maintained. Others will be offered by schools acting in partnership with community groups, vocational, parent, and non-government organisations. The Australian Government’s role in school educationThe Australian Government is committed to raising national standards in education to ensure that schooling in Australia continues to be world class. The Australian Government has a leadership role in:
The Australian Schools Agenda builds on the National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century to provide a vision for all schools for 2005-2008 and reflects the Australian Government’s national priorities for schooling to deliver national consistency; high standards and values; and parent-focused schooling. The Australian Government’s priorities in schooling are underpinned by the conditions of funding contained in the Schools Assistance (Learning Together – Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity) Act 2004 and associated funding agreements for 2005-2008. Funding for government and non-government schools is linked to a series of conditions aimed at improving educational outcomes for all Australian students. The Australian Schools Agenda is firmly centred on the needs of parents and their children and the educational requirements of the next generation of Australians. Quality schooling is vital for all students, regardless of the school they attend. The Australian Government provides significant funding to enhance the learning outcomes of all school students. Support is provided through general recurrent, capital and targeted programmes, and policy development, research and analysis of nationally significant education issues. The department helps the Australian Government achieve its overall objective of quality educational outcomes for all students through three distinct but interrelated areas:
Overall effectiveness of the school education sectorStrong foundation skills, gained during the formative years of schooling, provide a sound basis for completing school and for further participation in education, training and employment. Figure 3.2 shows that the proportion of students gaining a Year 12 certificate has remained relatively steady at round 68 or 69 per cent since 2001. There has however been a decrease in 2004 in the proportion of low socioeconomic status (SES) students and students from provincial areas gaining a Year 12 Certificate. These declines may be due to students using alternative education or training pathways, such as New Apprenticeships, while others are taking advantage of improved labour market conditions to find employment. Figure 3.2: Effectiveness Indicator—Students receiving Year 12 certificates as a proportion of potential Year 12 population
Source: Data based on MCEETYA School Geographic Location Classification and ABS Index of Disadvantage. An increasing proportion of young Australians are now completing Year 12 and/or a post-school qualification. Figure 3.3 shows that the overall proportion of 20 to 24 year olds with Year 12 or a post-school qualification at Certificate I/II or higher level has risen over the last four years, from 80.3 per cent in 2000 to 82.8 per cent in 2004. Over this time the proportion of males and females with these qualifications has also trended upward. Figure 3.3: Effectiveness Indicator—Proportion of 20-24 year olds with Year 12 or Certificate I/II or Higher Qualification
There has also been a marked increase in the proportion of 25 to 29 year olds with a Certificate III (generally equivalent to completion of a New Apprenticeship) or higher post-school qualification since 2000. Figure 3.4 shows that the proportion with these qualifications increased from 45.9 percent in 2000 to 53.5 per cent in 2004. During this period the percentage of females with these qualifications increased from 41.7 per cent to 53.7 per cent. The proportion of males with these post-school qualifications increased more modestly, from 50.1 per cent to 53.4 per cent (Figure 3.4). Figure 3.4: Effectiveness Indicator—25-29 year olds with Certificate III/IV or Higher Qualification
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Survey of Education and Work, 2000-2004 (ABS Cat. No.6227.0), unpublished data. Other Effectiveness Indicators are reported under the strategic priorities. Achievements against strategic priorities 1 to 4The department’s medium-term strategic priorities reflect the Australian Government’s agenda for school and Indigenous education. These priorities, listed below, direct the department’s efforts towards achievement of Outcome 1. Strategic Priorities 5 to 9 are reported under Outcome 2; Strategic Priorities 10 to 16 are reported under Outcome 3. Strategic priorities 1 to 4 for Outcome 1
The key deliverables for each of these strategic priorities were outlined in the 2004–05 Portfolio Budget Statements along with performance measures and planned performance targets for the year. In addition, new directions and initiatives in schools impact across the Strategic Priorities (see box). Strategic Priority 1: Nationally comparable standards and reporting to drive improved learning outcomes for all studentsIt is vital to ensure that schools’ priorities focus on students’ outcomes and their continuous improvement. It is important that schools report nationally comparable student outcomes to parents and the broader community. Funding for schoolsDuring 2004, the department continued to administer funding for the 2001–2004 funding quadrennium through the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000. Major work during 2004-05 focused on developing and enacting new legislation for the 2005-2008 quadrennium. The Schools Assistance Act 2004 received Royal Assent on 13 December 2004 and came into effect from 1 January 2005. The Act, and the associated funding agreements, set out a series of conditions aimed at improving educational outcomes for all Australian students – state and territory and non-government education authorities are required to meet these in order to receive funding. Reforms to SchoolingThe Schools Assistance Act 2004 includes an enhanced performance framework for Australian Government funding for 2005-2008. This expands on the performance measures and targets from 2001-2004 and includes conditions and reporting requirements to reflect elements of the Australian Schools Agenda. In order to receive funding, school authorities are required to:
School authorities also have to report expenditure on professional learning; provide the Indigenous Education Statement each year; ensure all schools fly the Australian flag; ensure all schools display the Values Education Framework poster and the National Safe Schools Framework poster. Funding agreements for 2005-2008 have now been signed with the non-government sector school education authorities and all states and territories, enabling $33 billion to flow to schools nationally. All agreements for 2005-2008 were signed by the end of June 2005. From 2005, under the new Schools Assistance Act 2004, the 1609 Catholic systemic schools became integrated into the socioeconomic status funding model which provides for Australian Government support on the basis of socioeconomic status of the school community. Schools serving needier communities receive the most support. All non-government schools and systems operate under the model. The Australian Government provides supplementary assistance for the recurrent costs of schools, including for the most educationally disadvantaged students, based on student enrolments. Significant supplementary assistance is also provided to government and non-government schools for capital infrastructure. During 2004-05, the number of student enrolments for which the Australian Government provides supplementary assistance continued to increase, as indicated in Table 3.2. Table 3.2: Student enrolments: Performance information for Output Group 1.1
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. Australian Government funding for capital works in 2004 was $249 million for government schools and $97.9 million for non-government schools. Investing in our schoolsThe Australian Government’s $1 billion Investing in Our Schools Programme is a new initiative which adds to the $1.5 billion already committed by the Australian Government to help build, maintain and refurbish Australian schools over the 2005-2008 quadrennium. This funding delivers on the Australian Government’s election commitment to provide grants directly to state school communities, parent bodies and principals. This will provide more power and autonomy for school parent communities in determining the priorities for their schools. Consultations with stakeholders to establish the programme framework were held during December 2004. In the first half of 2005, programme guidelines and application forms were developed and distributed. There has been significant take-up of this initiative with 4500 applications received by the department for the first funding round. Projects to be funded include classroom improvements, library resources, computer facilities, airconditioning and heating, outdoor shade structures, music facilities and instruments, playing fields, sporting infrastructure, play equipment, floor coverings, security measures and amenity refurbishments. Grants for the first funding round are expected to be announced in the second half of 2005. Australian Technical CollegesThe Australian Government announced, as an election commitment, that it would establish 24 Australian Technical Colleges (ATCs) for up to 7200 Year 11 and 12 students to promote pride and excellence in the teaching and acquisition of trade skills at the secondary level. Over five years to 2009, $343.6 million will be provided to fund the establishment and operation of ATCs. The ATCs are a new approach to integrating trade training with the school curriculum. They give students the opportunity to gain their Year 12 Certificate while starting a School-based New Apprenticeship in a trade, leading to a nationally recognised vocational qualification. The ATCs will be industry-led, ensuring that the skills training provided is relevant to local employer and industry needs. Some colleges are expected to commence in 2006, with all to be operational by 2008. The 24 regions identified for an ATC are a mix of metropolitan and rural areas:
These regions have skills needs, high youth populations and are supported by a significant industry base. During 2004-05, the department worked to develop policy, which included an extensive consultation process and commenced implementation of the programme. Following an invitation in November 2004, over 160 expressions of interest were received. A discussion paper was released in January 2005 to encourage interest from local communities and the Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, The Hon Gary Hardgrave M.P, held community consultations during February and March 2005. On 30 March 2005, the formal request for proposal process opened with the release of documentation; the process closed on 20 May 2005 with 73 proposals received. The department assessed the proposals and provided recommendations to the Australian Government. The first ATCs were announced on 15 July 2005 for the regions of Geelong, Eastern Melbourne, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Port Macquarie, Illawarra, Bairnsdale/Sale, Bendigo, Townsville, Darwin and Adelaide. Further announcements will be made later in 2005. The Australian Technical Colleges (Flexibility in Achieving Australia’s Skill Needs) Bill 2005 was passed by the House of Representatives on 23 June, and referred to the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Legislation Committee for inquiry. The committee will report in September 2005. Benchmarks and reportingThe new Schools Assistance Act 2004 and associated funding agreements provide a strong performance and reporting framework for the 2005-2008 quadrennium. Key reforms have been introduced under the Act. As a condition of funding, the Act has the following requirements:
The department conducted consultations in 2005 with state and territory education departments, non-government education authorities and parents’ and principals’ groups to develop the new Regulations to the Schools Assistance Act 2004. The National Literacy and Numeracy Plan continues to provide a framework for improving literacy and numeracy standards in Australia. The plan provides for:
During 2004-05, the department:
Figures 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 indicate that most students are achieving minimum literacy and numeracy standards:
Figure 3.5: Effectiveness Indicator—Percentage of school students achieving the national reading benchmarks
Figure 3.6: Effectiveness Indicator—Percentage of school students achieving the national writing benchmarks
Figure 3.7: Effectiveness Indicator—Percentage of school students achieving the national numeracy benchmarks
National consistencyDuring 2004-05, the department worked to develop proposals for a single, national, Australian Certificate of Education for end of year 12. This is a key part of the Australian Government’s effort to achieve greater national consistency in schooling. The department is working with the Australian Council for Educational Research, which is investigating options for the implementation of the Australian Certificate of Education. Progress was also made in developing national statements of learning in mathematics, science, civics and citizenship and information and communications technology. This work is to be completed by 1 January 2006. The Statement of Learning for English for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 has already been developed and adopted by all jurisdictions to guide the development of their curricula in these areas. Achievement of greater national consistency in schooling will be facilitated by the Schools Assistance Act 2004. Funding agreements require education authorities to commit to:
National Literacy and Numeracy WeekNational Literacy and Numeracy Week was held from 30 August to 5 September 2004, highlighting the importance for all Australians to develop effective literacy and numeracy skills. Events successfully showcased and acknowledged the outstanding and innovative work that schools and their communities are doing to improve students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Fourteen National Excellence Awards and 57 Achievement Awards were presented to schools across Australia and five Minister’s Awards for Outstanding Contribution to improving Literacy and/or Numeracy were awarded to individuals. For the first time, the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Award competition for school-aged students was introduced into National Literacy and Numeracy Week activities. The National Inquiry into the Teaching of LiteracyThe National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy was announced by the Minister for Education, Science and Training on 30 November 2004. The inquiry will examine the way reading is taught and assessed in classrooms, as well as the effectiveness of teacher education courses in preparing teachers for reading instruction. The inquiry will be informed by a review of national and international research on reading methods, including those used to help students with reading difficulties. An independent committee is conducting the inquiry which will involve consultation with government and non-government school education authorities, the teaching profession, universities, parents and researchers. The committee will be assisted by a broad reference group. The committee is expected to report to the Minister in the second half of 2005. International comparison of Australian studentsAustralian students continue to do well by international standards, as seen from the results of the latest cycles of two international student assessments, released at the end of 2004. The assessments were:
Table 3.3 shows that Australia remained among the highest performing countries in the PISA study, which reports the reading, mathematical and scientific literacy achievements of 15 year olds. In PISA 2003, Australia achieved mean scores in all three areas that were above the OECD averages and was outperformed by only one country in reading literacy (Finland); by three countries in scientific literacy (Finland, Japan and Korea); and by four countries in mathematical literacy (Hong Kong-China, Finland, Korea and the Netherlands). Table 3.3: Effectiveness Indicator—Mean scores (with standard errors) of Australian 15 year old students in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy compared with OECD averages, (PISA), 2000 and 2003
PISA = Programme for International Student Assessment Notes: 1The OECD average is not directly comparable across the two cycles because there were some differences in the composition of the OECD countries included. Overall performance of countries in mathematical literacy in PISA 2000 and PISA 2003 cannot be compared. Refer to source. Source: OECD, Knowledge and Skills for Life, First Results from PISA 2000, OECD 2001 and OECD Learning for Tomorrow’s World, First Results from PISA 2003, OECD 2004. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assesses Year 4 and Year 8 students in mathematics and science. Table 3.4 shows the Australian and international mean scores in TIMSS 2002/03. Australian students achieved mean scores above the international averages in Year 4 science, Year 8 mathematics and Year 8 science, and at the international average in Year 4 mathematics. Table 3.4: Mean scores (with standard errors) of Australian Year 4 and Year 8 students in mathematics and science compared with international averages, TIMSS 2002/03
Source: TIMSS 2003 International Science Report, Findings from the IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Fourth and Eight Grades, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 2004, and TIMSS 2003 International Mathematics Report, Findings from the IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study at the Fourth and Eight Grades, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 2004. Students’ perceived ability to use computers is measured using PISA 2000 data. Australian students are well above the OECD average, which is set at zero. Figure 3.8 shows Australia’s performance relative to Hungary and the United States (the lowest and highest scores respectively). Figure 3.8: Effectiveness Indicator—Mean index of comfort with and perceived ability to use computers United States, Australian and Hungarian students 2000
Note: There has not been an update to these figures
since 2001. Strategic Priority 2: Improved learning outcomes for Indigenous studentsProgress is being made in improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students, but they remain substantially below national averages. Closing the educational divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians remains one of the Australian Government’s highest education priorities. The Australian Government is committed to enabling Indigenous Australians to fully and successfully participate in further education, employment and society in general. The department is focused on improving mainstream service provision for Indigenous students and increasingly targeting Indigenous specific resources to the most disadvantaged Indigenous students. Programmes and strategies to achieve outcomesThe Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment Act 2004 was enacted on 14 December 2004. Significant work has been undertaken by the department to implement the changed provisions under the new framework. Key strategies under the new 2005-2008 quadrennium funding arrangements are targeted to:
A strengthened performance monitoring and reporting framework that measures outcomes resulting from the Indigenous Education Programme has been established. Discussions with providers began in November 2004 and bilateral negotiations to resolve issues and establish targets were held with education providers between January and July 2005. By July 2005, the Australian Government offered Indigenous Education Agreements to all major providers. The agreements include provisions that strengthen accountability, including financial and educational accountability conditions, monitoring and reporting of educational outcomes at regional levels and provisions to address underperformance. On entering into an agreement, providers agree to supply the required data and complete performance reports which include the measures spelt out below. The emphasis of the agreements is on achieving significant, measurable and continuous progress in improving Indigenous education outcomes over the quadrennium. The department developed the agreements following consultation with education providers. The consultations discussed the details of the agreement, as well as the performance indicators and reporting requirements for the suite of performance measures. Performance indicators are designed to measure outcomes in vocational and technical education, school and pre-school sectors in eight priority areas which include literacy, numeracy, educational outcomes, enrolments, employment, professional learning, Indigenous involvement and culturally inclusive curricula. The Australian Government’s approach to funding arrangements for the 2005-2008 quadrennium provides for a greater weighting of resources towards Indigenous students with the greatest disadvantage — those in remote areas. A high proportion of Indigenous youth aged 15-19 in remote localities have an education attainment below Year 10 (see Figure 3.9). A correspondingly low proportion of Indigenous young people in remote localities achieve a Year 12 qualification (see Figure 3.10). The likelihood of Indigenous students achieving a Year 12 qualification decreases markedly as the student’s distance from a metropolitan centre increases. During 2004–05 the department also developed and implemented an evaluation strategy for the Indigenous Education Programme. Figure 3.9: Proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous 15–19 year olds with education attainment below Year 10 by locality 2001
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Census data 2001).
Figure 3.10: Proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous 15–19 year olds with education attainment of Year 12 by locality 2001
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (Census data 2001). During 2004-05, the department implemented significant reforms to the Indigenous education programmes for the 2005-2008 quadrennium. The reform outcomes resulted from a series of reviews which were completed in 2003-2004. The programmes were reshaped to better direct funding to those initiatives that have demonstrably achieved improvements in education outcomes for Indigenous students, to focus efforts on students in remote areas and to leverage mainstream resources to improve Indigenous education, particularly in metropolitan areas. The reshaped Indigenous Education Direct Assistance Programme has two key elements: better targeted tuition assistance through the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (formerly known as the Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme), and the introduction of a Whole of School Intervention Strategy, to replace the Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Programme. The flow of funding under the new arrangements was dependent upon state governments and Catholic and independent schools authorities entering into Indigenous Education Agreements with the Australian Government for 2005-2008. Finalisation of agreements with state education departments, particularly in relation to targets to significantly and measurably close the educational divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, impacted on payments to education providers. The Australian Government announced its changes to the Indigenous education programmes in April 2004 and an Exposure Draft of the Programme Guidelines for 2005-2008, providing detail of the programmes, was released for comment in July 2004. Significant communication with education providers occurred throughout 2004-05, however many providers did not sign their Indigenous Education Agreements until May June. The department provided a submission to the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Reference Committee Inquiry into the Government’s changes to funding arrangements for targeted assistance in Indigenous education in May 2005. The inquiry reported in June 2005 and the Government will formally respond to the committee’s recommendations during 2005-06. The department has a number of strategic interventions in place to accelerate the learning outcomes of young Indigenous people. Scaffolding Literacy (or Accelerated Literacy) is a structured approach to teaching literacy that assists low-achieving students to catch up to the average level of the rest of their class. The method aims to develop reading, writing, comprehension and spelling skills to a high level very quickly, using age-appropriate books. Analysis by Charles Darwin University shows that students undertaking Accelerated Literacy improve their reading ability at an average rate of 1.73 year levels per year. An independent evaluation by the Australian Council of Educational Research found that students achieve at a much higher level than if they had not participated and concluded that the results were ‘little short of sensational’5. The Australian Government has allocated $14 million for Scaffolding Literacy over the 2005-2008 quadrennium with $11.8 million approved for four Scaffolding Literacy projects in July 2005. The National Accelerated Literacy Project will see Scaffolding Literacy delivered to 10 000 students across 100 schools, of which 90 are remote schools, and the retraining of 700 teachers in the Northern Territory. The Aboriginal Independent Community Schools in Western Australia will build on a successful pilot by providing Scaffolding Literacy to 1010 students in 15 schools. Shalom Christian College in Queensland will continue to support primary students and also extend the methodology to 340 secondary students, many of whom are boarding students from remote communities. The Catholic Education Office will introduce Scaffolding Literacy to 459 students in six Catholic schools in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. In May 2005, the Australian Government announced ongoing support for the Dare to Lead – Making the Difference project with funding of $8 million over four years. The Dare to Lead project has successfully driven sustained, systemic change by engaging principals from around Australia to form an ongoing coalition of schools, committed to improving educational outcomes for their Indigenous students. Coalition members undertake to achieve a 10 per cent improvement in Year 5 literacy and Year 12 completion rates. In addition, all principals agree to revise their academic curricula and other school programmes, with a view to ensure that students develop an understanding of Indigenous culture. The Australian Principals Association’s Professional Development Council will continue to deliver Dare to Lead nationally, targeting those schools with significant Indigenous populations, particularly in remote and regional areas. The current phase of the project has a target for coalition membership of 5000 schools and 200 institutional members by the end of 2007. The project achieved coalition membership of 2880 schools by April 2005. The What Works project delivers professional development workshops and shares best practice in Indigenous education with Australia’s teachers. The project has been very successful in embedding change in schools, with the primary aim of providing in-service training for teachers to ensure that their teaching focuses on improving outcomes for Indigenous students. During 2004-05, some 340 workshops involving 12 400 participant educators were held. Over 50 case studies of best practice in Indigenous education were posted on the website6, with an increasing emphasis on the ways in which schools use What Works materials to effect change. In April 2005, the Australian Government announced ongoing support for the What Works project with funding of $3.6 million over four years. The current phase of the project will deliver 400 professional development workshops to approximately 14 500 educators of Indigenous students and prepare new supplementary professional development materials, based on needs identified by schools with significant numbers of Indigenous students. The Yachad Accelerated Learning Project is being piloted in the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) trial sites of Shepparton in Victoria, Aurukun in Queensland, and in Western Australia at Halls Creek, which is adjacent to the Kimberley COAG trial site. The project is modelled on an Israeli-pioneered programme, proven over more than 20 years to combat patterns of educational disadvantage through accelerated learning, empowerment and community involvement, rather than conventional remedial approaches. The department has prepared for the implementation of two new measures, the Indigenous Youth Mobility programme and the Indigenous Youth Leadership programme, with tenders being sought from potential providers in July 2005. These initiatives were announced by the Australian Government as 2004 federal election commitments. National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and TrainingThe National Report to Parliament on Indigenous Education and Training 2003 was tabled in May 2005. The report notes positive outcomes for many of the key indicators of progress at all levels of education for Indigenous students. Enrolments are up in most sectors, retention is slowly improving and senior secondary outcomes are also improving. More Indigenous students are completing courses and when they do, the employment outcomes tend to be quite positive. However, there is still some concern about the lower level of outcomes for Indigenous males compared to Indigenous females and considerable gaps remain between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes. Table 3.5: Percentage of Indigenous students achieving the reading, writing and numeracy benchmark, Years 3, 5 and 7, Australia, (1999-2003)
Source: National Report on Schooling in Australia 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Figure 3.11: Year 12 apparent retention rate of Indigenous and non-Indigenous full-time students: Australia 2000-2004
Source: DEST derived from the National Schools Statistics Collection 2000 - 2004. As shown in Figure 3.11, there was little reduction of the gap in Year 12 apparent retention rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students over the period. Table 3.6 shows that between 2003 and 2004 the number of full-time Indigenous students enrolled in school education, including preschool students, increased by 4559 (or 3.4 per cent). This included a sharp increase in secondary enrolments (up 5.0 per cent). Information on tertiary students receiving ABSTUDY is included under Outcome 2, Strategic Priority 9. Table 3.6: Indigenous students—Performance information for Output Group 1.2
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. a Not all Indigenous school students are eligible for ABSTUDY. The ABSTUDY beneficiary numbers for 2004 are extracted from Centrelink data using BRIO software. BRIO software reports those beneficiaries who received an ABSTUDY payment in 2004. Previously (2002 and 2003 actual numbers) were extracted from Centrelink data using SuperStar software. SuperStar only reported beneficiaries paid and entitled to be paid in the calendar year. Whole of government approachesThe department continued its involvement in the COAG whole of government Indigenous trials. The aim of the whole of government approach is to deliver more effective responses to the needs of Indigenous people, including in the area of education, through improved coordination and delivery of services. The department has a leadership role in implementing this approach in the Murdi Paaki region in north western New South Wales. During 2004–05 the department continued to work closely with its lead partners, Indigenous communities and the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, as well as other Australian Government and state agencies, to improve outcomes for Indigenous people in the region. Achievements include the signing of new local and regional Shared Responsibility Agreements (SRAs), which added substantially to the momentum being built in the region. The SRAs include provision of distance education up to Year 10 to support the continued engagement of local secondary students in Engonnia; previously students had to travel long distances to access high school. The finalisation of Community Action Plans is a critical part of the process of working with communities and a priority for the trial. Through the plans, the community clarifies and expresses its priorities and how government can help it achieve them. Community Working Parties have endorsed Community Action Plans in Wentworth, Bourke, Collarenebri, Enngonia, Goodooga, Ivanhoe, Weilmoringle, Brewarrina, Gulargambone and Walgett.
From left: standing – Cecilia O’Brien [Torres Strait], Rose Iles and Jacqui McDonald [Mt Isa], Anne Bruyeres [Townsville], Rick Hodges [Cairns], Karen Weigel [Brisbane], Joslyn Foster [Cairns]. Seated: Nicole Wallace [Cairns], Christine Kennedy [Townsville], Trudy Sunderland [Rockhampton], David Binjuda, Suzann Krall and Shannon Bowe [Cairns]
During 2004-05, the department worked closely with Indigenous Coordination Centres (ICCs) and the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC). ICCs provide the opportunity to better integrate education and training initiatives with employment, health, family, community and regional infrastructure programmes. To assist in providing effective whole of government services, departmental staff were physically co-located in 15 of 22 regional ICC offices. Cooperative working arrangements were established with the remaining regional ICC offices and the department continues to work towards physical co-location with all regional ICC offices. The department continued to contribute to the work of the Indigenous Education, Employment, Training and Youth Taskforce of MCEETYA. In May 2005 MCEETYA agreed that improving outcomes for Indigenous students is its top priority issue for the 2005-2008 quadrennium. Strategic Priority 3: Enhanced quality of teaching and learning in a safe and supportive environmentThe acquisition of high quality foundation skills and learning outcomes is dependent on a school system that:
Quality teaching and learningThe two most important influences7 on the educational outcomes of students are the quality of the teaching they receive and the quality of schools’ leadership. To raise the status, quality and professionalism of teachers and school leaders throughout Australia, the Australian Government established the interim National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership (NIQTSL) on 3 June 2004. The decision to establish the Institute was informed by the 2003 Review of Teaching and Teacher Education. The interim NIQTSL received initial funding of $10 million and will receive a further $20 million over the next four years. Arrangements have been made to establish the NIQTSL on a permanent basis in the second half of 2005. The NIQTSL has embarked on an ambitious agenda to support and advance the quality of teaching and school leadership and to strengthen the teaching profession. Early work will focus on national professional standards for accomplished teaching and for school leadership, accreditation of pre-service teacher education, a national leadership learning programme and recognition of excellence in teaching and leadership. Funding for the NIQTSL is being provided under the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme (AGQTP) which is the Australian Government’s major initiative for improving the quality of school teaching and leadership. Its objectives for 2004-05 were to update and improve skills and understanding in areas of national importance, and to enhance the status of teaching. In addition to supporting the NIQTSL, the programme provides funding to the states and territories for teacher professional learning activities. In 2004-05, there were more than 53 000 teacher participants in these activities (see Table 3.7). Table 3.7: Professional development for teachers—Performance information for Output Group 1.3
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. a The reporting period for this programme covered 18 months from January 2002 to mid 2003, therefore the number of teachers participating in professional development for 2002 is a pro rata estimate. b Reporting on activities for 2004-05 has yet to be finalised. The figure is therefore preliminary. An evaluation of the AGQTP, completed in late December 2004, found that the programme had been very effective in updating the skills and understanding of more than 240 000 teacher participants since it commenced in October 2000. Following the positive evaluation findings, the 2005-06 Budget included an additional $139.9 million to continue the programme to the end of 2009. During 2005, the department began work on the implementation of a new phase of the programme which will equip teachers with the skills and knowledge needed for teaching in the 21st century; provide national leadership professional learning for teachers; and improve the professional standing of school teachers and leaders. The National Awards for Quality Schooling celebrate the achievements of teachers and school leaders and reward innovation in schools. Fifty-one schools, six principals and 16 teachers received their 2004 awards at an award ceremony in February 2005. The winning schools demonstrated success in the priority areas of literacy and numeracy, safe school environments, school leadership, values education, or innovation in science, mathematics and technology.
Recipients of the DEST National Awards for Quality Schooling 2004 at Parliament House in Canberra Responding to the findings of the 2003 Review of Teaching and Teacher Education, during 2004-05 the Australian Government also:
In February 2005, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Vocational Training announced an inquiry into the quality and adequacy of teacher-training courses. The department made a comprehensive submission to the inquiry and appeared at the first public hearing in June 2005. The department also assisted by providing background material, explanatory information and other support as requested by the committee. The committee is expected to report in mid 2006. Programmes for targeted assistanceThe Australian Government funds a number of programmes of targeted assistance to improve learning outcomes for individuals with special needs. For 2004, the targeted programmes were provided under the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000. These programmes included the Strategic Assistance for Improving Student Outcomes programme; National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and Projects programme; Special Education—Non-government Centre Support programme; Country Areas Programme; and English as a Second Language—New Arrivals programme. Through these programmes, funding is provided to government and non-government school education authorities in the states and territories, taking into account the numbers of students in each of the targeted groups for the particular authority. Assistance is also provided to individual rural and isolated school students who are unable to access an appropriate government school on a daily basis because of geographic isolation. Table 3.8 shows the trend in clients receiving funding under some of these programmes. Table 3.8: Programmes of targeted assistance—Performance information for Output Group 1.2
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. From 2005, the Australian Government is also providing assistance through the new Non-Government School Term Hostels Programme, which is targeted at not-for-profit non-government school term hostels. The hostels operate principally to accommodate primary and secondary students from rural and remote areas of Australia. The programme aims to provide a high standard of care to rural primary and secondary school students residing at the hostels. This four year initiative will also support rural communities by providing an affordable alternative to boarding school or distance education for rural and remote families. Under the programme, eligible hostels attract a grant of $2500 per year per eligible student, with programme funds to be used for the maintenance and operational costs of the hostel. In 2005, funding will be provided to approximately 18 hostels nationally that together accommodate more than 550 students from rural and remote areas of Australia. Improving the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students continues to be a high priority for the Australian Government. One of the National Goals for Schooling is that ‘the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students improve and, over time, match those of other students’. From 1 January 2005, a new overarching Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs (LNSLN) programme was introduced under the Schools Assistance Act 2004. The LNSLN replaces the Strategic Assistance for Improving Student Outcomes programme, the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and Projects programme and the Special Education—Non-government Centre Support programme. The LNSLN programme streamlines administrative processes, provides greater transparency and improves the way the allocation of funding to education authorities is determined. The programme, which will provide an estimated $2.1 billion over 2005-2008 to support educationally disadvantaged students, has three distinct elements: the Schools Grants, Non-Government Centres Support; and National Projects. The Schools Grants element helps government and non-government school education authorities to improve the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students, including students with disabilities, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Types of initiatives funded under this element include early intervention strategies to identify those students in need of additional assistance in literacy and numeracy, additional assistance programmes for students with disabilities, and development of benchmarking and assessment arrangements for the reporting of progress of students towards meeting national benchmarks. Key initiatives currently in progress, funded under the National Projects Element, include:
The pilot Tutorial Voucher Initiative, announced in May 2004, is an innovative and practical pilot programme introduced to provide assistance to parents of children who were below the Year 3 national reading benchmark in 2003. The pilot was developed to provide valuable one-to-one reading tuition, delivered outside school hours, and is additional to any other assistance these children may receive during school hours. Parents who have been advised by the relevant education authority that their child was below the national Year 3 reading benchmark in 2003, are eligible to receive a tutorial voucher for their child of $700. The initiative is being implemented in each state and territory by brokers who are responsible for its promotion. Brokers also assist parents/caregivers by verifying the eligibility of the child to receive tuition, contracting suitable tutors, administering payments and monitoring the pilot’s effectiveness. An independent evaluation of the pilot initiative is also being conducted. Boys’ educationThe Australian Government is committed to improving boys’ educational and social outcomes and has allocated around $27 million for appropriate measures over the next five years. Literacy and numeracy benchmark data shows that more boys than girls failed to achieve the Year 3, 5 and 7 reading and writing benchmarks (see Strategic Priority 1, Figures 3.5 to 3.7). While boys’ school retention rates are increasing, they are still below the rate for girls. Key initiatives administered by the department are the Boys’ Education Lighthouse Schools project, the new Success for Boys initiative, and specialised research into significant areas relevant to boys’ education.
Success for Boys will focus on boys who may be at particular risk of disengaging from school-based learning activities, including boys with disabilities, Indigenous or geographically isolated boys and boys from low socioeconomic status or culturally diverse backgrounds. In 2004-05, the department continued to contribute to the development of the National Agenda for Early Childhood, through the Inter-departmental Taskforce on Child Development, Health and Wellbeing. Current work with the taskforce is progressing the agenda with state and territory governments. MCEETYA also agreed that early childhood education is a key priority area for action. During 2004-05, the department worked with the states and territories, through MCEETYA, to develop a national plan for language education. All ministers of education have now endorsed The MCEETYA National Statement and Plan for Languages Education for Australian Schools 2005-20088. The statement emphasises the need for students to develop inter-cultural understanding to equip them for living and working in the 21st century and the key role that a quality languages education can play in this. The national plan provides a framework for all jurisdictions to make decisions in six areas of common concern: teaching and learning, teacher supply and retention, professional learning, programme development, quality assurance and advocacy and promotion of languages learning.
topOur school environmentThe National Safe Schools Framework9 aims to help schools create safe and supportive school environments and include appropriate responses that schools can adopt to address bullying, harassment, violence and child abuse, including sexual abuse and neglect. It is a condition of Australian Government funding that all schools implement this framework by 1 January 2006. The Australian Government is supporting schools to implement the framework through a $4.5 million package of initiatives that includes funding for teacher professional learning; grants for schools to select, implement and showcase effective programmes; funding for materials and other support to guide the implementation of the framework; and funding to support the Bullying. No Way! website10. During 2004-05, the department:
The Australian Government is providing $29.7 million to support values education in schools. The Values Education initiative will help make values a core part of Australian schooling by providing funding for values and drug education forums and curriculum and assessment resources for all schools to teach values. State and territory education Ministers have endorsed a National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools.11 The framework identifies nine Values for Australian Schooling: care and compassion; doing your best; fair go; freedom; honesty and trustworthiness; integrity; respect; responsibility; and understanding, tolerance and inclusion. Under the new 2005–2008 quadrennium funding agreements for government and non-government schools, it is a condition of Australian Government funding that the agreed Values for Australian Schooling are displayed prominently in all schools. Twenty-six clusters of schools around Australia are taking part in Stage 1 of the Values Education Good Practice Schools Project - with $2.5 million funding. The clusters cover a range of topics including the teaching of values through philosophy, Indigenous education, links to the National Safe Schools Framework through building resilience and self-esteem in students, environmental issues and working with school communities to build safe and supportive learning communities. Stage 1 began in March 2005 and will be completed by 30 June 2006, while Stage 2 will occur in the 2006-2008 financial years.
As a condition of funding under the Schools Assistance Act 2004 for the 2005-2008 funding quadrennium, each state and teritory and non-government education authority will be required to include in its curriculum at least two hours of physical activity each school week for primary and junior secondary school students. Education and training for the information economyThe Australian Government has a holistic, cross-sectoral approach to the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. As each part of the education, training and research sector faces similar challenges, a whole of sector response is the most effective approach to ICT in education. The Australian Information and Communications Technology in Education Committee (AICTEC) represents the whole of the education and training sector and reports to MCEETYA. Through its membership of the committee, the department contributes to key cross-sectoral issues relating to the educational use of ICT. The overall strategic context and priorities for national collaboration are set out in the Joint Ministerial Statement on Education and Training in the Information Economy, released in February 2005. The joint statement is accompanied by a new education and training action plan which was endorsed by MCEETYA in May 2005 and is expected to be released in late 2005. For the sector as a whole, both documents stress the need to ensure that all learners achieve their potential. Measures to achieve this include individualised and flexible learning, the development of quality digital resources and services and an exploration of varieties of effective teaching and training methods using ICT to suit various learning needs. To ensure that the maximum advantage is gained from using ICT, there must be a focus on the underpinning elements. These include developing standards to enable the components of the infrastructure to work together to expand its reach, ease of access to education content and services, appropriate copyright management regimes, and access to adequate bandwidth. During 2004-05, the department continued to collaborate with state and territory governments on a joint project to develop online curriculum resources, services and applications (known as The Le@rning Federation: Schools Online Curriculum Content Initiative) in which the New Zealand Government is participating. Online curriculum materials were developed in the agreed priority areas of Science; Mathematics and Numeracy; Literacy for Students at Risk; Studies of Australia; Innovation, Enterprise and Creativity; and Languages other than English. The first online materials were released for trial and integration into teaching and learning systems. These materials were reported by students and teachers to be a highly interactive education tool to enhance teaching and learning experience. During the year, the department developed supporting technical specifications to facilitate the sharing, procurement, management, discovery and distribution of curriculum content, as well as policies and processes related to ownership and management of intellectual property. The department also played a key role, through its membership on the MCEETYA ICT in Schools Taskforce, in overseeing the implementation of Learning in an Online World: a school education action plan for the information economy. The plan, which is related to the new education and training action plan mentioned above, provides a national strategic blueprint to guide the implementation of ICT in schools for 2003-2006. Further information on the ICT agenda can be found under Outcome 2, Strategic Priority 8 and Outcome 3, Strategic Priority 10. Strategic Priority 4: Improved transitions of young people through school to further education and training or workAn Australian Government priority is to enhance young people’s foundation skills by preparing them for work and equipping them to make broader contributions to their communities. The National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century include young people having employment-related skills and an understanding of the work environment, career options and recognised pathways to employment and further education and training. In addition, school students should be able to participate in vocational learning during the compulsory years and have access to vocational and technical education programmes as part of their senior secondary studies. An integrated national career and transitions systemDuring 2004-05, the department made significant progress in the development of an integrated national career and transitions system. The new Australian Network of Industry Careers Advisers (ANICA) initiative is a major platform assisting all young Australians to make a successful transition from school to an enduring career. The initiative will be implemented from 1 January 2006 and will enable the department to continue to foster:
In 2004-05,
the Jobs
Pathway Programme (JPP)
helped around 70 000 young people aged Table 3.9: Jobs Pathway Programme—Performance information for Output Group 1.4
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. Those young people currently assisted under the JPP, who are receiving some form of assistance, will still be helped through activities under the ANICA initiative which will, through schools, provide all young people aged 13-19 years with access to assistance. These services, facilitated by Local Community Partnerships, will assist many of the less at-risk students. The ANICA initiative was also informed by the work of the Career and Transition (CAT) Pilots and the Partnership Outreach Education Model (POEM). In 2005, CAT advisers focused on facilitating, rather than delivering, career information and transition support. The advisers were primarily responsible for:
During 2004-05, the POEM pilot continued to fund 21 projects across Australia to provide an education and personal development programme targeting young people (aged 13 to 19 years) who are disconnected from mainstream schooling or, in certain circumstances, have a tenuous connection to school. The POEM pilot offers flexible accredited education and training options delivered in supported community settings. POEM pilots are underpinned by partnerships and positive relationships between young people and their families, community service agencies, schools, governments at all levels and business. An evaluation of the POEM pilot released in 2004, reported that projects were highly successful, with the support of community partners, in re-engaging disconnected young people in education, enhancing social and life skills, and in preparing them for positive post-POEM pathways. During 2004 a total of 2058 young people were supported by the 21 projects. Local Community PartnershipsThe Australian Government is strongly committed to ensuring that young people achieve their full potential and currently provides more than $14 million annually for Local Community Partnerships (LCPs) to deliver the Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) programme nationally. The SWL programme provides students with structured on the job training and mentoring that develops their technical and generic employability skills. Their skills are assessed, usually following the work placement, by a registered training organisation and the vocational and technical education qualifications are recognised nationally by industry and education systems. Currently, the SWL programme is administered through a national network of LCP which have good links with their community, schools, business and industry; knowledge of local education, training and employment opportunities; and the ability to relate to young people. The current LCP network has over 200 partnerships operating throughout Australia, including rural and remote locations.
Table 3.10:
Structured Workplace Learning—Performance information for Output
a
Consistent with outcome data reporting in other states, figures for 2003
now reflect 100 per cent of students, placements and employers in New
South Wales. The department provides funding to engage peak industry bodies, such as the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Industry Group, Rural Skills Australia and Group Training Australia, to support vocational learning opportunities and effective school-to-work transitions for young Australians. Links with local industry provide support for young people to gain technical and employability skills. Within the ANICA framework, a network of regional industry careers advisers will work to engage local business through LCPs to promote vocational and technical education pathways to young people. Career developmentTrained career practitioners and quality resources are integral to the provision of informed and comprehensive career education and development for students in schools, TAFE and higher education, and for those seeking to change their career direction at various stages during their lives. To improve quality in service delivery, teaching and learning opportunities and expand awareness in the Australian community, the department supported a range of career development initiatives durning 2004-05 including:
Launch of Chase your Dreams at
Marsden High School in West Ryde. Best practice and innovation in school career education is encouraged through the Career Education Lighthouse Schools project. Thirty-three Lighthouse projects, encompassing 70 schools, received funding in 2005. As a part of the funding requirements, schools will document and share the knowledge learned from their projects. The department supported the work of the MCEETYA Transitions from School Taskforce in the development of a draft prototype of an Australian Blueprint for Career Development. The blueprint has multiple goals, but its main aim is to have users work with a national framework of competencies to create comprehensive, effective and measurable career development programmes that help Australians better manage their lives, learning and work. The blueprint will be trialled in a variety of settings and environments from late 2005. Enterprise learningThe department’s Enterprise and Career Education Programme is continuing to consolidate efforts to build enterprise and employability skills. The programme also provides support for career development through all years of schooling and across all curriculum areas. During 2004-05, and following on from the Enterprise Education Action Research project, a new initiative, Enterprise Learning for the 21st Century, was developed and advertised. Forty-seven successful projects with a total cost of $8 million over four years will be funded to promote an understanding of enterprise culture in teaching, and provide enterprise learning opportunities for children and young people. Vocational and technical education in schoolsThe department plays a leading role in working to ensure that vocational education continues to be a valued pathway for students from school to work. The MCEETYA 2004 Report for VET in Schools (2004 Report - National Data on Participation in VET in Schools programmes for the 2004 School Year) shows continued growth, variety and mainstreaming of VET in Schools (refer Table 3.11) with 211 885 students enrolled in VET in Schools programmes representing 49 percent of all senior secondary students. Overall, the data indicates that VET in Schools is increasingly part of the mainstream curriculum across Australia. Table 3.11: Participation in VET in Schools—Performance information for Output Group 1.4
Source: MCEETYA National data on participation in VET in Schools programmes for the 2002, 2003 and 2004 school years. Learning to Work, the Australian Government’s response to the 2004 House of Representatives Inquiry into Vocational Education in Schools was tabled on 23 June 2005. The response highlighted the department’s initiatives to promote vocational and technical education as a valuable and desirable pathway, providing young Australians with a range of opportunities including both School-based New Apprenticeships and formal VET in Schools programmes. The response also highlighted initiatives to promote vocational education in schools, including work under ANICA, the Local Community Partnerships network and the establishment of 24 Australian Technical Colleges (see Strategic Priority 1). The Increasing Vocational Learning Opportunities for Indigenous Students initiative is providing young Indigenous Australians with the skills they need to become productive and employable workers, a crucial step towards their long-term goals. Implemented through the network of LCPs, the initiative has exceeded its target of 2300 students. In 2004-05 34 projects reaching 3015 Indigenous students were contracted across 135 schools. In addition, several Projects of National Significance have been developed and contracted in 2004-05. Through action research, these projects aim to influence systemic change in the approach to service delivery for Indigenous youth. Informing the policy agendaDuring 2004-05, the department established the National Youth Careers and Transitions Advisory Group (NYCTAG). This group advises the Minister for Education, Science and Training on broad strategic issues including matters affecting young people’s successful transitions in relation to learning and education; identified priority issues regarding enterprise, vocational and career education; and opportunities to establish links between transition programmes and other government initiatives, including development of effective alliances. The NYCTAG brings together a mix of individuals with a broad range of experience and expertise, and who bring fresh and valuable perspectives to career and transition issues. At the first meeting in February 2005, members agreed to review some of the career and transition initiatives administered by the department and provide advice to the Minister. The initiatives of interest during 2004-05 included the Partnership Outreach Education Models pilot and the Jobs Pathway Programme. During the year, the department also supported the work of the MCEETYA Transition from School Taskforce and its three working groups. Departmental outputsThe department’s outputs and outcomes framework provides for five departmental outputs: administration; policy advising; ministerial and parliamentary services; research, analysis and evaluation; and service delivery. Departmental activity and information is generally reported against the strategic priorities, other performance information for departmental outputs is reported below and in Table 3.12. AdministrationAdministration is the implementation, management and regulation of the department’s programmes. It includes communicating information relating to the portfolio, its objectives and programmes to client groups and other stakeholders. Administration embodies the efficient, effective and ethical use of Australian Government resources. Outputs include contract and tender administration and management of funding. For Outcome 1, the department administered grants and payments to state and territory governments, non-government school authorities, educational bodies and schools, and community groups. Compliance with payment and management processes is measured through the Administered Funds Quality Assurance Packages developed for the Schools Grants and Indigenous Education Direct Assistance (IEDA) programmes. The Schools Grants programmes achieved 100 per cent compliance for 2004-05 (for 2003–04 this was also 100 per cent). The IEDA suite of programmes has undergone substantial policy and procedural change commencing in January 2005. The resources allocated to implement the new programme structure mean that quality assurance testing has not been applied to the final funding round of the 2004 programme elements or to the first round of the IEDA programmes commencing in 2005. A quality assurance package for the new programmes is being developed. Policy advisingPolicy advising is the provision of policy advice services to Ministers, national committees and other relevant clients. The department’s performance in delivering policy advice to Ministers is assessed against a number of criteria. The Minister rates the provision of briefing advice and information against a five point scale for timeliness, presentation and quality. Ministerial briefings exceeded the planned benchmark rating of 90 per cent satisfactory or above for presentation, timeliness and quality (see Table 3.12). During 2004–05, the department provided in excess of 1293 briefs for this Outcome. Table 3.12: Performance in briefing advice and information to the Minister (Outcome 1)
Source:
Department of Education, Science and Training. Ministerial and parliamentary servicesMinisterial and parliamentary services are the services provided to the Ministers and Parliament. During 2004–05, the department prepared over 5431 replies to ministerial correspondence for this Outcome. It also finalised responses to 874 Senate questions and 107 Parliamentary questions14. Ministerial and Parliamentary services are assessed according to timeliness (see Table 3.13). Table 3.13: Performance in services to the Minister and Parliament (Outcome 1)
Source: Department of Education, Science and Training. Further information on the department’s performance for ministerial and parliamentary service can be found in Chapter 8, Enabling Our Business. Research, analysis and evaluationResearch, analysis and evaluation are undertaken to assist in policy development and programme management and to measure the effectiveness of policy against stated outcomes. The department’s Triennial Research Plan identifies the research work of the department within the context of the government’s overall strategic and operational priorities. The Triennial Research Plan is a rolling plan that is reviewed annually. Specific research, analysis and evaluation activity and results are reported under each strategic priority. The department published 31 research and evaluation studies of Outcome 1 activities. A detailed list of all research and evaluation publications is in Appendix 8. Service deliveryService delivery is the direct delivery of services to external parties. Centrelink directly delivers a range of payment, referral and related services on behalf of the department for programmes supporting Outcome 1. These are ABSTUDY and the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme. These services are administered under the DESTCentrelink Business Partnership Agreement. Centrelink performance against the key indicators set out in the agreement was satisfactory for these programmes. Table 3.14: Performance in delivery of departmental outputs
Footnotes: 4 see http://www.dest.gov.au/schools/adelaide/adelaide.htm 5 Final Report of the Australian Council for Educational Reserach on its Evaluation of the University of Canberra Programme for Advanced Literacy Development Scaffolding Literacy Programme with Indigenous Children in School. 6 see http://www.whatworks.edu.au 7 Leithwood K et al (2004), Review of Research: How Leadership Influences Student Learning and Rowe K (2001), What REALLY Matters – the ‘Pimple’ or the ‘Pumpkin?: Exploring the Evidence for ‘Real’ Factors Affecting Girls’ and Boys’ Experiences and Outcomes of Schooling. 8 see http://www.mceetya.edu.au/public/languageeducation.htm 9 see http://www.mceetya.edu.au/pdf/natsafeschools.pdf 10 see http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au 11 see
http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/verve/_resources/ 12 see
http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/verve/_resources/ 13 see http://www.career.edu.au 14 Total questions for the department. A breakdown by outcome is not available.
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Any comments or queries should be sent to: wwweditor@dest.gov.au This page was
last updated on
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
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Attendees at an ICC
Information day in Cairns.
