Background
The former Minister for Education, Science and Training, Ms Julie Bishop MP, announced the Reading Assistance Voucher programme 
in May 2006. The programme, which will operate throughout Australia during the 2007 school year, is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to improving the literacy standards of all Australian children.
The Australian Government is providing some $20.6 million for the programme, which supports students who did not meet the Year 3 national benchmark for reading in 2006. Year 3 is the first time students are assessed against national literacy benchmarks, below which students will have difficulty progressing satisfactorily at school.
Under the programme, parents and caregivers of eligible children receive up to $700 worth of reading tuition for their child. The tuition is based on the child’s learning needs and includes a pre- and post-tuition assessment. Tuition is available to children who were in Year 3 in 2006, and who achieved a score below the 2006 national benchmark for reading. Parents and caregivers of eligible children in all States and Territories have received notification about the programme.
The Reading Assistance Voucher programme builds on the pilot Tutorial Voucher Initiative conducted in 2005, and is informed by the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy .
National Programme Manager
A National Programme Manager, Curriculum Corporation , is administering the Reading Assistance Voucher programme across all Australian States and Territories. Curriculum Corporation is the central point of contact for the programme, working in cooperation with education authorities, schools, parents and tuition providers to ensure that tuition is delivered effectively.
Curriculum Corporation is a not-for-profit organisation working in the education sector and is owned by all State, Territory and Australian Government Ministers of Education. Curriculum Corporation has extensive experience in managing large-scale educational programmes, such as the national literacy and numeracy benchmarks, and working collaboratively with government and non-government education authorities.
For more information about the administration of the Reading Assistance Voucher programme, visit the programme website at www.readingtuition.edu.au or contact Curriculum Corporation:
Teaching Materials
A Reading Assistance Kit, including a range of assessment tools and teaching materials, has been specifically developed for the Reading Assistance Voucher programme. These materials have a strong focus on evidence-based approaches to teaching reading, such as the integrated approach to reading recommended by the National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy conducted in 2005. This approach is based on an understanding of phonics and encourages fluency, vocabulary extension and text comprehension.
The Reading Assistance Kit, which will be available to both tutors and schools from April, will strengthen the link between the tuition provided through the Reading Assistance Voucher programme and the classroom. Schools will be able to keep the kits as a valuable teaching resource for the future.
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