SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE SCHOOL ORGANISATIONS
Supporting schools, governing councils and state education through training, advice and advocacy
SAASSO Education Update Archive
2010 - Term 3 & 4
Listed below you can find information and links from previous editions of Education Update.
Articles are listed in chronological order.
If you can't find the article you're looking for, email info@saasso.asn.au
7 Dec 2010
SA Literacy Black Hole
For several years SAASSO has been trying to bring parents concerns about our state’s literacy and numeracy standards to the attention of the Rann Government – sadly our efforts have been dismissed or ignored.
In our recent election submission to the State Government, we highlighted research which reveals the staggering number of students who are failing to achieve even the minimum standards necessary to get a job after school.
A new report from the OECD delivers further support for parents concerns.
It demonstrates the current literacy levels of SA 15 year olds has dropped so drastically - compared with students from a decade ago - that it is the equivalent of a whole year of school.
The OECD report tested students in three key areas of literacy, from 65 countries; including 14,000 from Australia and more than 1,500 from SA.
It also revealed mathematical literacy in SA has additionally fallen significantly, down almost 5% compared with when students first were tested in 2003.
These figures show, while SA may have been performing at higher levels in the past, there are now falling behind not only other states, but high-performing countries such as China, Korea and Finland.
For the full story visit:
6 Dec 2010
Continued Bushfire Risk
It’s been reported officials are still finalising school bushfire plans - despite earlier promising high-risk schools would have all necessary equipment by the start of summer.
With the start of the bushfire season last week, it was revealed that the CFS is still investigating claims that fire trucks are not compatible with hydrants and water tanks at an ‘extreme fire risk’ country school.
In September, The Advertiser revealed dozens of high-risk schools went into the last bushfire season without basic safety equipment or an up-to-date bushfire action plan. At the time, DECS ‘guaranteed’ schools would have all equipment and plans checked off this season.
However, a DECS spokeswoman has said the central and regional offices were following up with schools to "determine if there were any additional issues".
3 Dec 2010
$50m Special School Revamp
Six special schools across the state will be relocated and upgraded under a $54.8m overhaul of disability education announced by the SA Government.
As part of the program:
· Ashford Special School will move from Anzac Highway to William Light R-12 School.
· The Kensington Centre will move from Kensington to Charles Campbell Secondary School.
· Elizabeth Special School will move from Durrington Rd to the new Mark Oliphant College at Munno Para.
· Port Augusta Special School will move from Abernethy Ave to the Flinders View Primary School.
· Riverland Special School will move from Berri to Glossop Senior Campus.
· Whyalla Special School will move from Billing St to Nicolson Avenue Primary School.
For the full story visit:
3 Dec 2010
School Music Lesson Face Cuts
There are concerns that unlike other specialist programs, the ‘Instrumental Music Service’ (which provides individual music tuition to students) will not be provided additional funding by DECS next year - to accommodate changes that were handed down by the EBA in September.
The changes saw teachers awarded a reduction in face-to-face teaching time to have more hours to plan lessons and mark work.
But the AEU (SA) warns the number of lessons provided to students was at risk, predicting cuts of up to 11%.
2 Dec 2010
Adelaide High School Expansion
Jay Weatherill has had to defend expansion plans for Adelaide High School – after the school’s governing council stated it was unhappy with 5 options being offered.
It says the proposals offered by DECS all encroach on parklands.
The council has agreed to remove the gymnasium to make way for a building to cater for an additional 250 students. However, the SA opposition said the Government must abandon the plan and build a second campus elsewhere.
For the full story visit:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/02/3082228.htm2 Dec 2010
‘My School’ Relaunch Delayed
Last week we reported the new ‘My School 2.0’ website would be available for parents to view from December 3rd.
But with just 24 hours before it was supposed to go live, the Federal Government announced the launch of the revamped site will now be delayed until next year.
The delay is due to inaccurate financial information of independent schools being identified on the site, with School Education Minister Peter Garrett stating this “may result in some misstatements”.
For the full story visit:
2 Dec 2010
Education Minister Listens To Principal
A month after launching his ‘Phone the Minister’ hotline, Jay Weatherill has taken 20 calls from principals & pre-school directors across S.A, encouraging them to share feedback on relevant issues.
Among the concerns raised include:
· A better system of identifying the level of disadvantage of a school.
· The heavy emphasis on school performance.
· Too much red tape when dealing with schools' utility bills.
Mr Weatherill said he accepted criticism that investigation of complaints against teachers does take too long, stating they have commissioned a substantial report on this issue.
For the full story visit:
28 Nov 2010
Students Should Be Taught Civic Duties
To improve voter turnout at the local level, the SA Electoral Commissioner believes schools should teach students their rights and responsibilities as citizens, for each level of government.
Kay Mousley says, “Until civic education, as in voting and democracy, is included in the curriculum, I don’t see people’s concept of fulfilling responsibilities as a citizen will change”.
Ms Mousley said, people, particularly in the metropolitan area, lacked a connection with their council, and that beginning education of these issues at an early age would make a big difference.
Local Government Association president Felicity-ann Lewis said the association advocated for civics and citizenship lessons to be compulsory in primary schools.
27 Nov 2010
Updated ‘My School’ Site Live This Week
A few weeks ago, SAASSO informed you of upcoming changes to the controversial ‘My School’ website – where parents will be able to view the financial information of each school.
This will include each institution’s 2009 recurrent income and capital expenditure, broken down by source of funding.
Principals have already had the opportunity to view the updated version of the site, while parents will be able to access it from this week - when the new section goes live on December 3rd.
However, media reports state that financial data on the ‘My School’ preview portal were riddled with errors, with private schools finding major differences between information they had provided and that which appeared on the site.
The independent school sector fears that if the updated website goes live as planned, incorrect data could tarnish their reputations and lead parents to false conclusions about the value they are getting for their school fees.
Additionally, the site will also feature a new and more accurate measure of the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage - using data provided voluntarily by parents about their occupations and education levels (collected when enrolling their children).
For the full story visit:
25 Nov 2010
University Ambition Starts Young
Results from a survey of 55,000 students in 55 institutions demonstrate up to 40% of first-year undergraduates first considered university in primary school.
Dr Hamish Coates, who carried out the survey (as part of the annual Australasian Survey of Student Engagement), said it reveals how important parental influence is:
· In families where no one has ever attended university, only 54% of students had decided to go to university by lower secondary school.
· While those who have a family history attend university at a rate of 72%.
Dr Coates said preliminary figures clearly indicated that most Australian children saw university as a realistic option, but some (such as indigenous and rural & remote students), were less likely to set higher education participation as a goal.
Data showed:
· Indigenous students were likeliest to first consider university after they had already entered the workforce.
· 42% of city-based students had already considered university as a viable option in primary school.
· While the same was true for only 29% of rural and remote students.
"If targets to increase the participation rates of Australians, particularly those from underrepresented social groups, are to be achieved, then we need to look at ways to raise awareness of university study among younger children", Dr Coates stated.
For the full story visit:
25 Nov 2010
NSW Schools Has Ethics Class As Option
From next year, ethics classes will be available in NSW public schools - with the NSW Cabinet approving the classes after considering the recommendations of an independent evaluation of a trial program.
But, following the coalition's objections against the course, the NSW government will introduce legislation to protect ethics classes as an option for students.
"The message we have received loud and clear from parents is that they should have the right to choose what is best for their child … No one can seriously argue that it is unreasonable for children who don't attend scripture to be offered an alternative", Premier Kristina Keneally said.
For the full story visit:
25 Nov 2010
How Young People Are Faring
The 2010 “How Young People are Faring” report reveals education and employment rates among Australian youth have failed to improve following the global financial crisis.
The Foundation for Young Australians report focused on the schooling and work situation of young people across the country, and shows the number of teenagers not in full-time education or work remains as high now as last year.
It was found:
· The proportion of ‘disengaged’ teenagers has stayed at 16.4%, meaning about 246,000 teenagers are not in full-time education or work.
· For 15 to 19 year-old males, the level of disengagement rose from 15.3% to 16% this year.
· Unemployment rates for teenage males not in full-time education rose from 18.2% in 2009 to 18.8% this year.
· The teenage unemployment rate fell slightly from 18.5% in 2009 to 17.9% this year.
The report also warned Australia continued to lag behind the set government target of 90% Year 12 or equivalent participation and attainment by 2015, agreed to by COAG.
For the full story visit:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/in-depth/teens-not-faring-so-well/story-e6frebvu-1225959196495 
22 Nov 2010
Homosexual Students Find Their Voice
A recent survey by La Trobe University of more than 3000 teenagers shows that homophobic abuse and violence has risen since the landmark study began in 1998.
But research fellow at the university, Professor Lynne Hillier, believes that while the continuing level of abuse is disturbing, it is partly to do with people aged 15 to 21 feeling confident enough to be out and report what is happening to them.
Teenagers in the national survey revealed:
· 61% reported verbal abuse (up from about 50% in 2004) because of their sexuality. While 18% experienced physical assault.
· 80% of the abuse takes place at high school.
The Writing Them-selves In report found students who knew their school was supportive and had policies to protect them from homophobia were less likely to have mental health issues. However the survey also demonstrated:
· 10% of respondents said there was no sex education at their school.
· Only 14% described their school as supportive.
· More than 1000 teenagers described their school as homophobic.
For the full story visit:
22 Nov 2010
New Super School Opens
With just 3 weeks remaining in the final term of the school year, the second of the states six ‘super schools’ has opened at Smithfield Plains this week.
The John Hartley School has a capacity of 620 and combines six kindergartens and primary schools from the area on a new campus.
The school has three separate learning areas or ‘schools within schools’ to cater to the needs of different age groups. There is also a specialist science area, drama facilities, kitchen and garden facilities.
SA Education Minister Jay Weatherill claims, "The school community wanted to amalgamate so that they could increase the range of subject choices and the range of educational opportunities available to children."
For the full story visit:
22 Nov 2010
School Fundraising To Pay Bills
A regional MP says families and friends of students have been forced to raise funds to pay for their school’s electricity bill.
Member for Stuart, Dan van Holst Pellekaan, states fundraising has now gone beyond simply buying sporting equipment.
"This is absolutely ridiculous. How could anybody think that the Government is taking education seriously when a school in regional South Australia has to raise additional funds to pay for its electricity bill?" he said.
The Smalls Schools Association says budget cutbacks to some schools' grants have left them fighting for survival.
For the full story visit:
17 Nov 2010
Young Learning With iPads
SA children are becoming increasingly more tech-savvy, with students as young as 5 at Mark Oliphant College using iPads to learn to count, read, and spell.
The Birth to Year 12 school is the first in the northern suburbs to trial iPads at the primary school level – giving one to each student in the combined Reception and Year 1 class.
The trial has already run for terms and teacher Wendy Cosgrove said it was proving to be successful.
The iPads are funded by the school, with about $200,000 set aside for new technologies in this year and next year’s budget.
For the full story visit:
17 Nov 2010
Timeline For National Curriculum
DECS anticipates the release of the Australian Curriculum R-10 (phase 1: English, maths, science and history) will be later this term.
2011 will be a familiarisation year for both primary and secondary schooling, giving teachers the time to explore the new curriculum materials, as well as resources such as the ‘Teaching for Effective Learning’ framework.
It is expected that all teachers will plan, teach, assess and report using the National Curriculum for:
· Maths and science by December 2012
· English and history by December 2013.
Further information about timelines for the phase two and three learning areas is dependent upon decisions at a national level by the Ministers responsible for schooling.
17 Nov 2010
National Youth Survey
Mission Australia’s 2010 National Survey of Young Australians has found body image and study stress were the top concerns of young people across the country.
The survey polled 50,000 Australians aged 11-24, and found at least 1 in 3 said they were being burdened by family conflict, pressure to perform well at school and general peer pressure.
But for the 6,500 South Australians surveyed, their biggest worries were the environment, violent crime, and the use of drugs and alcohol.
It was also revealed that family breakdown has been blamed for teenagers finding it hard to cope with stress and not knowing where to seek help. What shocked experts the most was stress forming in 11 year olds, with one fifth of all 11-14 year olds concerned with this issue.
Spokeswoman Anne Hampshire said “What teenagers are telling us is that they are trying to do so much: school, working part-time and being out in the community, but they also have a strong sense of expectation sometimes from themselves but also from schools, teachers and their parents.”
For the full story visit:
16 Nov 2010
Super School Enrolments Down
Over the last month, we have updated you on the progress of the State Government's six 'Super Schools' – with one opening two weeks ago and another planning to open later this term.
As questions continue to be raised by parents and teachers over whether 'hub' schools would provide students with a better education, it comes as no surprise that preliminary enrolment figures show the schools will open just three-quarters full.
In an article by The Advertiser this week, SAASSO Director David Knuckey says, "With so many schools closing around them, many parents may have been left with little alternative but to enrol their children in a super school, but clearly many parents who still have an option are choosing to send their children elsewhere."
There are several studies that demonstrate, aside from saving money and offering improved subject choice, large schools offered little educational benefit to children.
The Term 3, 2009 issue of 'School Post' includes data from these studies, highlighting the benefits of small schools, compared with larger ones.
15 Nov 2010
Class Size Not Key To Results
In recent years, everyone from SAASSO to Julia Gillard, to the OECD have argued that improving teacher quality must be our primary focus to improve education.
A new report by the Grattan Institute continues this call, arguing that improving the effectiveness of teachers is the biggest economic reform governments could implement.
The report says government spending on education increased about 40% in the past decade, much of it spent on reducing class sizes - which has had no effect on improving student or educational standards.
The institute's director of school education, Ben Jensen, says improving teacher effectiveness by 10% would significantly boost student performance.
The report said smaller classes were „intuitively appealing‟ but worthless if the teacher was not able to get the best out of students.
Dr Jensen nominated five main mechanisms to improve teaching standards:
· Improving the quality of applicants to become teachers.
· Improving the quality of their initial education and training.
· Evaluating and providing feedback to teachers once they're in classrooms.
· Recognising and rewarding effective teachers.
· Moving on ineffective teachers who are unable to improve.
Just last month SAASSO highlighted the facts about class sizes worldwide. Click on the file below to view SAASSO’s OECD Class Size: Fact Sheet.
For the full story visit:
13 Nov 2010
Homework Completed For $2
It’s been revealed that Australian secondary students are outsourcing their homework to sweatshops in India, Pakistan and Egypt, which provide English essays and maths papers for as little as $2.
Academics have voiced their concerns about these new forms of cheating, but are not surprised it is happening.
Several websites offer either fixed-price tariffs or auction-style services, where students can put work out to tender and workers bid to take on the project. These sites state they tailor their work to display different levels of expertise.
In Australia, a more expensive site offers high school papers at $16.79 per page - claiming it is presently working on essays & dissertations for 1,000 Australian students.
For the full story visit:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/indian-websites-do-your-homework-for-2/story-e6frea8c-122595322326611 Nov 2010
New Trade Training Centres
To boost vocational education pathways for students at secondary schools, funding of $219m has been announced for 58 new Trade Training Centres across Australia.
The funding is part of a $2.5b investment, delivered through the Trade Training Centres In Schools program.
The program has already seen 35 projects competed, with 130 having commenced construction, and a further 64 in either the planning or procurement stage.
Applicants are eligible to apply for funding in Round 4 of the program, which will be announced early in 2011.
10 Nov 2010
Feedback From ‘Spy School’ Story
Last week's feature in The Advertiser - on the rights of Governing Councils to install security cameras in schools elicited quite a bit of feedback on the Adelaide Now website - much of it supporting SAASSO‟s comments.
“CCTV cameras can be where that like as far as I'm concerned. I have nothing to hide and only those that do would complain. If it stops one crime only then it's worth it.”
Paisly of Port Adelaide
“I think it is a must have and should be monitored every break and before and after school. When these "Super Schools" open I fear for the young Junior and primary school kids who will be witnessing some horrific behaviour by high school students and gangs....”
Fed Up of Adelaide
“Fantastic. My Autistic son is home today because of bullying yesterday. Get it on camera so we can educate the bullys about the impact of their ways....”
Frustrated of Adelaide
“As usual it's saasso, the INDEPENDENT PARENT group that is telling the truth about what is really happening in our public schools ... The only surprise is that Rann and his pals haven't shut you down yet? Talking about what is genuinely happening doesn't get you far in SA these days. Good on you! Keep it up.”
Jess of Free SA
“.... Bring it on! I wish that my son was in a school that had surveillance. No more principals/teachers denying that bullying is happening in their school and sweeping it under the carpet....”
Bring it On of Adelaide
For the full story visit:
9 Nov 2010
Bullying - The Facts
In opposition to parent calls for more decisive action on bullying, DECS claims that, “behaviour management programs and anti-bullying policies are the best solution to curb bullying.”
But, are these current programs working? Just how bad is bullying in our schools?
In the Term 3, 2009 edition of School Post, Lauren Djakovac revealed disturbing data on school bullying, gleaned from two Australian studies.
The Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study surveyed 7,000 children nationwide, finding:
· 1 in 4 children from Year 4 to Year 9 claim they are attacked regularly.
· Public school students are more likely to be bullied than those from private schools.
· Almost half of all children in Year 9 are being bullied and are bullying others.
The report states that there is a three-stage ‘Cycle of Inaction’, when it comes to covert bullying; which leads to students feeling less empowered due to teacher inaction - ultimately resulting in students not seeking help when bullied.
A 2009 online parent poll by ‘The Advertiser’ supported these alarming statistics:
· 43% of parents said their child had been bullied.
· Almost a third of parents said their child had been bullied and the school had not solved the problem.
9 Nov 2010
Spy School
The front page of ‘The Advertiser’ carried a story on the rights of Governing Councils to install security cameras in their schools - reflecting growing parent concerns about bullying in our public schools.
SAASSO Director, David Knuckey says in the article, “with the prevalence of bullying and the devastating effects it can have on children, parents are going to give serious consideration to any ideas that may help the school deal with these behaviour-related problems.”
DECS and the AEU oppose the idea, but Jim Davies, head of the Principal’s Association, said schools are public space and “The reality is, CCTV is commonplace all over the community now.”
He added that schools installed cameras, “To prevent bad behaviour, rather than spy on children.”
SAASSO stated that, though “parents are conscious of privacy concerns ... (they) were more fearful of bullying than of the potential backlash from having CCTV installed on school grounds”.
5 Nov 2010
BER Taskforce Investigation
Since last year, we have heard a number of complaints stem from the Federal Government’s $16b BER program - with claims of waste, rorting and price gouging.
But the head of the BER taskforce investigation is praising the way state governments have spent the funds, telling a Senate committee hearing in Canberra that some states have delivered excellent results.
Mr. Brad Orgill says the program's poor performance in NSW has unfairly tarnished it everywhere else.
He states his next update on the program is due later this month or in early December and will show that SA, TAS and WA have delivered significant benefits to schools along with a stimulus to the general economy.
"There is no evidence to say that value for money has not been achieved", but "we would say that we want to see the full evidence before reaching such a conclusion", Mr. Orgill said.
For the full story visit:
5 Nov 2010
Digital Revolution For Teachers
Under the Digital Strategy for Teachers and School Leaders ICT Innovation Fund announced earlier this year, Minister for School Education Peter Garrett has recently detailed funding for four upcoming projects:
· Teaching Teachers for the Future - $7.8m
· ICT In Everyday Learning: Teacher Online Toolkit - $825,000
· Anywhere, Anytime Teacher Professional Learning - $5.4m
· Leading ICT Learning - $2.08m
5 Nov 2010
Education Centres For Disadvantaged
Federal Child Care Minister Kate Ellis has announced an additional 15 new early education centres will be opened across Australia.
The centres will run programs to help parents develop their children's literacy and numeracy skills, and they will be taught how to ensure their kids are ready for school.
Some of these will be established in some of Adelaide's most disadvantaged suburbs such as Davoren Park and Salisbury North.
For the full story visit:
5 Nov 2010
No Prerequisites For Science Course
Students will no longer have to study maths or science in Year 12 to be accepted into a ‘Bachelor of Science’ at the University of Adelaide.
In a move by the university to “broaden their pool of students", subjects such as maths 1, maths 2, physics and chemistry will be removed as prerequisites for 2012 entry into science programs.
Deputy vice-chancellor Fred McDougall said prerequisites would instead only apply for more advanced, specialist subjects such as astrophysics or quantum mechanics.
"Mature-age students and those from non-traditional educational backgrounds will be able to complete an undergraduate science degree and go on to either further study or a wide range of career opportunities."
SA Secondary Principals Association president Jim Davies welcomed the initiative and said "We need flexibility so people can move across and in and out of pathways. Taking away prerequisites acknowledges this."
For the full story visit:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/science-course-opens-to-more/story-e6frea83-1225946338066
2 Nov 2010
Teachers Registration Board
The feature story in The Advertiser’s ’Education Now’ lift-out this week reported on the Parliamentary inquiry being conducted into the state’s Teachers Registration Board (TRB).
The story focussed on SAASSO’s submission to the committee conducting the inquiry, which commenced in 2009.
Key concerns are the processes of the Board and its composition. Currently the Board is made up primarily of teacher union representatives and DECS staff. Since the Rann Government changed the TRB Act, no public school parent has ever sat on the Board.
Specific complaints include:
· Inadequate representation of parents, police, principals and school organisations.
· Failure to involve school organisations when reviewing professional standards for teachers.
· Refusal to release data on the total number of complaints made against teachers.
SAASSO calls for significant parent representation and greater transparency.
1 Nov 2010
Year 12 Exams Commence
From this week, almost 13,000 SA Year 12 students will start sitting their final exams.
English Studies was the first subject to kick off the 2010 exam period on Monday, and the examination period will conclude with Dance Studies on November 19th.
Exams will be held in about 200 schools across the state.
29 Oct 2010
Incentives For Teachers
The State Government has announced a new $5.4m program to attract and retain teachers.
Provided through the Communities Making a Difference national partnership, it will include:
· Incentives to teachers who want to make a difference by working in schools of greatest need.
· Additional financial support for the training of student-teachers in rural and remote and disadvantaged city schools.
· Seed funding to regions and schools for the development of programs and incentives that address local recruitment issues that they have identified.
28 Oct 2010
First Super School Open This Week
The first of the state’s six super schools, the ‘Adelaide West Special Education Centre’ at Taperoo, opened this week.
The school has been purpose-built for students with special needs, and will cater for 80 students between the ages of 5 and 19. It is located next to Ocean View College, giving students the opportunity to integrate with those students from the mainstream school.
The Adelaide West Special Education Centre includes:
· A first of its kind ceiling tracking system to assist with lifting students in and out of wheelchairs.
· An independent living unit with household appliances where students learn everyday skills they will need later in life.
· Interactive whiteboards specially designed for students with disabilities.
· A large gym for the school’s physical activity programs.
· A maze and other outdoor play areas.
For the full story visit:
For the full story visit:
28 Oct 2010
National Curriculum Update
With concerns of ‘overcrowding’ in the science and history subjects in the new national curriculum, ACARA has had to rework the national draft for Year 10 students.
This has resulted in the topics of the Vietnam War and women’s influence down the years being reduced significantly. The two topics will be covered in the history ‘overview’ at the start of the course in discussion with world wars and other rights and freedom events, but the in-depth projects on these issues have been scrapped.
While, too much material and the structure of science in the national curriculum has forced ACARA to reconsider the presentation of that subject.
In other curriculum news, it was also revealed last week that climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth will be incorporated in the national curriculum – as part of a bid to teach students on environmental sustainability across all subjects.
It would be the first time the film, following one time US Vice-President Al Gore’s climate change campaign, has been included in the school English curriculum.
For the full story visit:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/schools-to-dumb-down-history/story-e6frea83-1225945388877For the full story visit:
28 Oct 2010
SA School Retention Rate
The State Government has announced that 2010 has seen the highest retention rate since 1994 - with a total of 84.2% competing Year 12.
This figure has jumped by nearly 5% in the past year, with last year’s number sitting at 79.5%.
This is the fourth year in a row retention rates have increased, and Premier Mike Rann said the introduction of compulsory education to 17 years old and recognising vocational education and training in SACE, were among the reasons for rising retention rates.
However, SA Opposition education spokesman David Pisoni said the figures hide a problem.
"Most students are compelled to go to school but we know that many of them choose to be truant and the Government's done nothing to address that truancy issue.”
For the full story visit:
26 Oct 2010
Online Exams
In a dramatic move away from the traditional pen and paper format, online exams are being trialled by SA Year 12 students this year.
The SACE Board, with Flinders University, will introduce the new style of final assessment in the ‘Contemporary Issues and Science’ subject.
In a bid to deliver a more ‘comprehensive analysis’ of students capabilities, the intent of the trial is not just to put traditional exams online, but also explore different and improved types of assessment.
Online exams will enable teachers to gain a more thorough picture of students’ learning during the year, using interactive questioning and responses.
25 Oct 2010
Green Schools
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has recently developed a new resource that outlines the benefits of green schools, and shares the practical experiences of ministers, education departments, principals and teachers.
Chief Executive Romilly Madew, says “many of Australia’s students and teachers spend each day in schools with badly designed classrooms, poor indoor air quality and limited access to daylight. Evidence and experience shows that this affects student health and learning, teacher morale and school operational costs – as well as the environment”.
“The Green Building Council of Australia is currently working closely with federal and state governments to ensure they commit to Green Star for all new schools, as well as for new buildings and refurbishments at existing schools,” she says.
The new report by GBCA outlines the benefits for students, staff and the environment – from lower operating costs right through to reputational equity – with case studies of real green schools in Australia.
25 Oct 2010
BER
This week, Parliament will begin debating Opposition legislation for a judicial inquiry into the $16.2b BER program, following claims of rorting and price gouging. The inquiry would have the power to summon witnesses and subpoena documents.
Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne argues Australians have a right to know whether the program delivered value for money.
However, the Australian Greens will not support Coalition moves for a inquiry - instead they will rely on an existing Senate inquiry which has been referred to a Coalition-chaired committee.
In other BER news, a Senate estimates hearing last week was told $9.8b of the stimulus scheme had been spent so far, and almost a third of small primary schools with outstanding projects have been given more generous deadlines.
In other BER news, a Senate estimates hearing last week was told $9.8b of the stimulus scheme had been spent so far, and almost a third of small primary schools with outstanding projects have been given more generous deadlines.
For the full story visit:
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/greens-wont-back-building-the-education-revolution-inquiry/story-e6frea73-1225943159268
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/greens-wont-back-building-the-education-revolution-inquiry/story-e6frea73-1225943159268
22 Oct 2010
Closing The Gap
Recently released figures show significant improvements in indigenous primary school students' reading and numeracy, but none among indigenous high school students.
As part of the COAG reform process, the latest report on the performance of the states in meeting targets says the proportion of indigenous students meeting minimum standards in literacy significantly increased among Year 3 students in QLD and WA, but fell among indigenous TAS high school students.
In numeracy, the only significant improvement among indigenous students was in Year 5 nationally.
For the full story visit:
21 Oct 2010
Student Transport Cut
Hundreds of refugees in the northern suburbs could miss out on vital language courses and settlement help at school, when the State Government removes their only means to get there.
The Government plans to save $5.4m over the next 3 years through major cuts to a transport service which sees children in New Arrival Program (NAP) classes driven to school in mini-buses and taxis.
NAP classes are about half the size of normal classes, and offer intensive English lessons, and help children settle into the Australian school system.
The cuts, effective from 2012, will affect about 1000 students at 15 primary schools across Adelaide.
19 Oct 2010
Year 12 ‘Research Project’
The new compulsory ‘Research Project’ subject, to be introduced as part of the SACE at Year 12 next year, has raised concerns among students and teachers.
Educators say teachers will be forced to teach the subject, while others feel unprepared and anxious about delivering it.
Principals have called for interested teachers to volunteer to teach the subject, but some schools have not had enough teachers, or enough from a range of specialised backgrounds stepping forward – forcing principals to assign staff to the subject.
A Year 11 and 12 teacher at Marden’s Open Access College said, teachers were experts in their chosen field but would be stretched to guide and assess the wide range of topics students could investigate.
In previous years, students were required to complete five subjects at Year 12, but the new SACE has seen this drop to four – with the ‘Research Project’ replacing the fifth subject for a semester.
The subject requires students to:
· Select a topic of interest.
· Formulate a question to direct their research.
· Complete an in-depth investigation to find an answer to the guiding question.
The final course outline was released last week, and details the two different Research Projects a student may choose to complete, with variation in the assessment presentation only.
18 Oct 2010
NT Child Protection Inquiry
A new Northern Territory inquiry has revealed child protection in the state is failing.
Said to be the largest inquiry ever undertaken in the NT, the 712-page report ‘Growing Them Strong, Together’, makes 147 recommendations relating to prevention, Aboriginal inclusion and co-operation with the non-government sector.
The report found:
· About 1000 children have been identified as being at risk but are not receiving support.
· More than 70% of notifications relate to Aboriginal children.
· Mandatory reporting has resulted in a 79.4% increase in notifications in the past 2 years.
For the full story visit:
18 Oct 2010
DECS ‘Entertainment’ Bill Tops $100,000
It was only last month that funding to schools was cut in the State Budget, but its now been revealed that education bureaucrats appear to have increased their entertainment bill from $14,000 to almost $100,000 in just five years.
This relates to spending on ‘entertainment’ food and drinks – such as a variety of functions, including parties - for public servants in education department administrative offices.
Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire said he questioned the priorities of the department, given that schools were ‘crying out’ for more money, saying, "What is going on when schools want more support officers, help with speech pathology, behavioural problem support and more assistance in the classroom?"
The Freedom of Information documents reveal in 2009 the DECS chief executive's office spent $9700 on entertainment, including functions during school holidays.
But a spokeswoman said, "DECS has a strict entertainment expenditure policy, which is tightly monitored and this expenditure was within budget".
For the full story visit:
18 Oct 2010
Super School Wait
The John Hartley School at Playford North was due to be the first Education Works ‘super school’ to open this year – but construction is still underway.
The school has been in operation, under the new name, since Term 1.
Their website says the new campus ‘will be completed in mid-2010’ with the goal to relocate by Term 4. However, Principal Aiva Ositis said the projected moving period would be around week 6 this term.
"We are moving ahead according to the projected schedule ... some of the grounds still need to be completed and some of the interior parts of the building work are still to be done," she said.
The new school has a capacity for 575 children from Reception to Year 7, but has not yet filled all enrolments.
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14 Oct 2010
Child Protection Notifications Rise
A study has found child protection notifications have escalated from about 10,000 in 2000-2001 to almost 21,000 in 2007-2008.
This is believed to be due to:
·An increase in abuse because of poverty, hardship and substance abuse.
· Increasingly stringent mandatory reporting requirements.
· Growing Awareness.
Substantiated cases of abuse have increased at a lesser extent, from 1,998 to 2,331 over the same period.
The study states it is highly likely over 30% of the total population born in the state in 2002 may have a child protection notification by the time they are 18 years old.
For the full story visit:
14 Oct 2010
School Upgrade Projects
The State Government has announced six Adelaide schools will share in $19m worth of school upgrade projects.
This will complete the final phase of the $82 million Education Works Stage 2 school building program.
The six schools are:
· Campbelltown R-12
· Stirling North (Preschool to Year 7)
· Highgate R-7
· Grange R-7
· East Adelaide R-7
· Swallowcliffe (Child parent centre to Year 7)
14 Oct 2010
2,000 School-Based Apprenticeships
Under the State Government’s ‘School To Work’ strategy, 2000 high school students have now commenced apprenticeships while still at school.
By starting apprenticeships at school, students do a combination of study, work and skills training at TAFE or other training providers.
12 Oct 2010
Class Size Not Key To Learning
Dr Ben Jensen, school education program director of the Grattan Institute, states focus should be on teacher quality rather than class size.
In his editorial featured in ‘The Advertiser’ this week, Dr Jensen says, if Australia wants to improve student performance, changes need to be made with the way money is spent - rather than spending more.
Teacher quality has the greatest impact on student performance, and Finland is generally regarded as having the best performing system in the OECD.
But, “only 16% of Australian teachers would be qualified to teach in our schools if we applied the Finnish rule”, he said.
Dr Jensen says, “The highest performing systems generally have larger classes than low performing countries.”
For more information about class sizes worldwide, click on the image below to view SAASSO’s OECD fact sheet.
30 Sep 2010
Humanities Subjects Out of Favour
Demand for Year 12 humanities subjects has declined because of changes to the SACE. The new SACE to be rolled out to Year 12 next year, will reduce subject choice from 5 to 4.
Many students are now opting for more traditional subjects such as maths and science - meaning humanities subjects including languages, history, arts and social studies are facing cuts at many schools because of a lack of demand.
It has raised concerns that cuts could put less academic students at risk as they often rely on the humanities subjects to pass Year 12.
The State Opposition says a decline in humanities teaching in secondary schools is inconsistent with a federal plan for a history and language-focused national curriculum.
For the full story visit:
24 Sep 2010
National Curriculum Delayed
In other news, schools will have to wait until December for the actual release of the new national curriculum.
Although due to be rolled out next year, educators fear this will push back implementation of the new curriculum by a year - with 2011 to be focused on understanding the new material instead of delivery to students.
The Federal Government has said all schools should have most of the curriculums introduced by the end of 2013.
For the full story visit:
23 Sep 2010
Agriculture Part Of Curriculum
Earlier this month, ACARA announced they will work with the Primary Industries Education Foundation (PIEF) to develop agriculture in the national curriculum.
Students will take part in a variety of learning activities that will broaden their knowledge of primary industries. They will learn about the food they eat, natural resources used and about garden environments.
An ACARA spokeswoman said, "Although primary industries will not be listed as a formal 'general capability' or a learning area in the Australian curriculum, we agree that all students from K-Year 8 should learn about the processes of production, marketing, consumption, sustainable use of resources and waste recycling.”
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23 Sep 2010
New Funding Model
Education officials will start meeting school principals this week to discuss the implementation of the new schools funding model, so that they can begin preparing their individual school budgets.
This will then be followed by workshops on the funding model over the next few weeks.
The new model, due to start next year, will change funding from a class-based system, to a funding per student model.
Last month, the state's key principal groups and teachers' union raised concerns that with only one term left of the school year, they were running out of time to develop an understanding of the new system.
23 Sep 2010
School Best Place To Prepare Teachers
In a consultation paper released by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), focus was given to not only the entry requirements of teachers into universities but also how teachers are prepared pre-service (see Education Update 45).
Christopher Bantick, a writer & education commentator, believes the AITSL plan does not go far enough and pre-service teaching practice is in need of considerable reform. He says:
· The allocation of days for supervised teaching for undergraduate and graduate courses is inadequate.
· A national model for training in which trainees spend a year away from university is required.
· A year-long placement for student teachers would have significant benefits.
Mr Bantick states students repeatedly say they learn more in a week in school than at a semester at university. “To get better teachers we simply need to give them time to be trained in schools to teach.”
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23 Sep 2010
Childcare Centres Failing Kids
Audit results show childcare centres are routinely flouting health and safety procedures.
A report by the National Childcare Accreditation Council has found 1/3 of about 1,100 centres audited failed to provide satisfactory toileting or nappy changing. In addition:
· 32% failed to ensure dangerous objects were kept away from children.
· 34% failed to ensure staff members supported each child's needs for rest, sleep and comfort.
For the full story visit:
21 Sep 2010
Special Needs Student Told To Move-On
The Advertiser reported that parents of one Adelaide’s special needs child are considering legal action after being told they have to change schools.
The 7-year old boy who has developmental dyspraxia, has thrived at Braeview Junior Primary since enrolling in 2008.
DECS has written to his mother, however, stating that there is no place for him in the school’s special needs unit next year and he has to transfer to another school.
Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent said “the problem was all too common”. Ms. Vincent added, “I think Wendy and her son are victims of an Education Department that is under-resourced”.
In both our State Election and Federal Election Submissions, SAASSO called for an urgent and immediate review of special needs unit funding, precisely to end the disgraceful situations that occur when there simply aren’t enough spaces in units and schools ... which has even resulted in children having to sit at home, because there is simply nowhere for them to go.
The 7-year old boy who has developmental dyspraxia, has thrived at Braeview Junior Primary since enrolling in 2008.
DECS has written to his mother, however, stating that there is no place for him in the school’s special needs unit next year and he has to transfer to another school.
Dignity for Disability MLC Kelly Vincent said “the problem was all too common”. Ms. Vincent added, “I think Wendy and her son are victims of an Education Department that is under-resourced”.
In both our State Election and Federal Election Submissions, SAASSO called for an urgent and immediate review of special needs unit funding, precisely to end the disgraceful situations that occur when there simply aren’t enough spaces in units and schools ... which has even resulted in children having to sit at home, because there is simply nowhere for them to go.
21 Sep 2010
CE's Early Dismissal
The Chief Executive of the education department has been dismissed by the Rann Government, with one year to go in his five-year contract.
Deputy CE Gino Degennaro will take over the role as caretaker, as of Monday, until a replacement is found.
Deputy CE Gino Degennaro will take over the role as caretaker, as of Monday, until a replacement is found.
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21 Sep 2010
Schoolyard Health Alarm
Parents and the Governing Council at Tintinara Area School have expressed disillusionment and frustration at the government’s handling of potentially hazardous chemical exposure at their school.
Contaminated soil, containing arsenic - possibly asbestos - lay exposed for weeks.
The contaminated area was exposed when a building was demolished to make way for a new structure as part of the BER.
Parents told The Advertiser that “the soil was left uncovered, leaving it susceptible to wind and only partly fenced off from the rest of the school, with many openings for children to access the dirt”.
On parent said, “If this was a private building site, company or organisation, there would be hell to pay over the risk to school children....”
Contaminated soil, containing arsenic - possibly asbestos - lay exposed for weeks.
The contaminated area was exposed when a building was demolished to make way for a new structure as part of the BER.
Parents told The Advertiser that “the soil was left uncovered, leaving it susceptible to wind and only partly fenced off from the rest of the school, with many openings for children to access the dirt”.
On parent said, “If this was a private building site, company or organisation, there would be hell to pay over the risk to school children....”
21 Sep 2010
Sex Education At Five
A guide produced by the State Government suggesting that children under 5 should be taught about sex has raised the ire of parents.
The Health SA guide claims children have “sexual feelings from birth” and recommends parents teach toddlers that “masturbation feels enjoyable”.
Parenting, medical and psychological experts have responded with criticism, saying the guide is “inappropriate, confusing and robbing very children of their innocence”.
The Health SA guide claims children have “sexual feelings from birth” and recommends parents teach toddlers that “masturbation feels enjoyable”.
Parenting, medical and psychological experts have responded with criticism, saying the guide is “inappropriate, confusing and robbing very children of their innocence”.
20 Sep 2010
Class Action For Anger
SAASSO has called for greater say by parents and Governing Councils in determining school behaviour policies.
The education department is reviewing its guidelines around suspending and excluding students.
The Secondary Principals Association has called for greater parent involvement in student behaviour management particularly for repeat offenders. This is in concert with calls to give principals “tougher disciplinary responses”.
SAASSO supports a more cooperative relationship between schools and parents, to ensure that both are working to complement each other.
SAASSO stated that “no two schools were the same and their unique problems could only be solved when the local community was empowered to deal with them”
Principals also want anger management and rehabilitation courses to form part of school discipline processes.
SAASSO Director David Knuckey stated that “schools confront challenges unimaginable 10 years ago” and that “schools should be free to try new techniques to deal with these challenges”.
The education department is reviewing its guidelines around suspending and excluding students.
The Secondary Principals Association has called for greater parent involvement in student behaviour management particularly for repeat offenders. This is in concert with calls to give principals “tougher disciplinary responses”.
SAASSO supports a more cooperative relationship between schools and parents, to ensure that both are working to complement each other.
SAASSO stated that “no two schools were the same and their unique problems could only be solved when the local community was empowered to deal with them”
Principals also want anger management and rehabilitation courses to form part of school discipline processes.
SAASSO Director David Knuckey stated that “schools confront challenges unimaginable 10 years ago” and that “schools should be free to try new techniques to deal with these challenges”.
19 Sep 2010
Childcare Panic
More than half of SA’s licensed childcare centres are still to meet the Federal Government’s tough new standards.
The new standards include:
- Increased staff to child ratios
- Higher qualification standards for staff
Childcare SA president Barbara Langford said, “For most childcare centres, it’s a fairly massive change and that’s why everyone is really panicking”.
Operators are fearful they will have to raise fees by as much as $20 per child, per day to meet the demands of the new National Quality Agenda.
DECS says that most centres are not yet meeting the standards and that some existing centres currently graded as “high standard” would fail under the new benchmarks.
The new standards include:
- Increased staff to child ratios
- Higher qualification standards for staff
Childcare SA president Barbara Langford said, “For most childcare centres, it’s a fairly massive change and that’s why everyone is really panicking”.
Operators are fearful they will have to raise fees by as much as $20 per child, per day to meet the demands of the new National Quality Agenda.
DECS says that most centres are not yet meeting the standards and that some existing centres currently graded as “high standard” would fail under the new benchmarks.
For the full story visit:
16 Sep 2010
Budget Blues
The much-feared state budget was handed down this week, with savage slashes in public service jobs - education being one of the hardest hit.
Despite ‘rumours’ of forced closures, small schools were spared ... perhaps because under the Education Act, the government can’t force schools to close; this can only be decided by the Governing Council and the local parents.
There was little good news in the budget for our struggling public schools. 97 new buses, fitted with seatbelts was the only major announcement.
Despite ‘rumours’ of forced closures, small schools were spared ... perhaps because under the Education Act, the government can’t force schools to close; this can only be decided by the Governing Council and the local parents.
There was little good news in the budget for our struggling public schools. 97 new buses, fitted with seatbelts was the only major announcement.
For the full story visit:
14 Sep 2010
SA Teacher Shortage Looming
A new survey has found that SA is set to face a severe teacher shortage within the coming years.
The University of Adelaide’s Career Intentions Survey of more than 3000 public school teachers aged 45+ revealed:
· Nearly 38% of secondary teachers planned to leave by 2015.
· More than half of the teachers over 55 intend to retire within 5 years.
· Retirement of preschool teachers and junior primary teachers is expected to peak in 10 years.
· Two thirds indicated an interest in casual employment after retirement.
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13 Sep 2010
Public-Site Preschools Disadvantaged
The SA Primary Principals Association has warned that on-site preschools (child parent centres) are ‘significantly’ under-resourced and lack leadership, compared with stand-alone counterparts - potentially putting students at a disadvantage.
Stand-alone preschools & kindergartens operate with 1 director and 1 teacher for every 50 students, while the state’s 98 child parent centres are staffed by 1 teacher and 1 SSO for the same number of students.
The Association has produced a position paper and is calling for:
· A second trained staff member and for all teachers to have early years training.
· Increased leadership allocation and improved facilities.
· Assistance to meet the targets of the Federal Governments ‘Universal Access Scheme’.
For the full story visit:
12 Sep 2010
Gillard Government Splits Education
After scraping into Government, PM Julia Gillard reshuffled her cabinet over the weekend -revealing her decision to drop the word ‘education’ and seeing the responsibilities for the old, single education portfolio shared among 3 ministers.
Under the changes:
· Peter Garrett is now the Minister for Schools.
· Senator Chris Evans will take charge of undergraduate university studies, while also being responsible for winding up the schools stimulus program.
· Kim Carr will now be responsible for post graduate higher education.
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10 Sep 2010
NAPAN 2010 Results Revealed
As most parents know, more than one million students across Australia, including about 80,000 from SA, sat the ‘National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in May.
In 2008, parents raised the alarm about our children’s knowledge of the basics, when SA students scored below average in 15 of the 20 categories.
These concerns were ignored and in 2009, we were told that our state had no targets for improvement on the tests.
The 2010 NAPLAN results were released last week - and show that it’s time for some targets:
· SA students are now below the national average in 19 of the 20 categories.
· SA’s numeracy results were one of the weakest of the country - in Year 5 SA ranked equal bottom.
· Year 9 had the least number of SA students meeting national standards with less than 90% achieving the benchmarks in reading, writing and spelling.
· In Year 7, SA students have improved on scores received by last year’s cohort and are now slightly above average in all measures bar spelling.
State Education Minister Jay Weatherill said “this year’s results are relatively consistent with previous results and SA students’ scores are around the middle when compared with other States and Territories".
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9 Sep 2010
Spread Funds To Assist All Schools: Study
A new ACER study suggests that programs targeting schools in low socio-economic areas in a bid to lift student performance are ineffectual - that money is better spent providing remedial teaching for struggling students across all schools.
According to Dr Gary Marks, examination of the aspects of schooling that affect student performance finds the only factors that boost student scores are; a school’s emphasis on academic performance and having effective teachers.
He says “there are low performing students everywhere, they don't just have to be in low SES schools”.
The study states policy focus should be on individual students in need of assistance rather than schools they attend.
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9 Sep 2010
OECD Education At A Glance 2010
Last week, the 2010 OECD ’Education at a Glance’ report was released.
The document is an annual report that evaluates education systems worldwide and enables countries to see themselves in the light of other countries’ performance.
It compares data on a range of aspects such as:
· Who participates in education? - details on education levels and student numbers.
· Spending on education - looking at areas including the percentage of GDP spent on education, how much is spent per student and teacher pay.
· The school environment - issues ranging from class size, to how long students spend in the classroom.
· The economic and social benefits of education.
In addition, this year’s report includes a special section on ‘school choice and parent voice’, focussing on:
· How much school choice do parents have?
· Are schools highly regulated or autonomous?
· Do parents have a say in schooling?
6 Sep 2010
Fire Danger For ‘High - Risk’ Schools
A number of ‘high risk’ schools went into the last bushfire season without basic safety equipment such as battery-powered radios.
In SAASSO’s ‘Education Update 5’ edition in August 2009, we reported that DECS had guaranteed that 120 SA schools ‘most at risk’, would be brought up to code by the beginning of the fire season - then 119 days away.
Now 399 days later, DECS Deputy CE Jan Andrews said she was ‘surprised’ when bushfire audits of the most at-risk 140 schools revealed some were not ready in many of the 47 categories of equipment, safety plans and procedures.
A Freedom of Information application by Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire reveals checklists in which schools identified their lack of fire-safety equipment, plans and land clearing.
The documents show:
· 46 schools did not have an up-to-date bushfire action plan.
· 200 schools had not completed removal of flammable materials, such as dead trees and scrub, from their grounds.
· 60 schools did not have a phone which could be used in a blackout.
· 1 had its play sandpit as its ‘bushfire-ready building’.
· Only 25 of the 173 schools deemed to be low-risk responded to the audit, which was compulsory for ‘extreme’ and ‘high-risk’ schools.
· 1 school did not have any fire extinguishers, 13 did not have any fire blankets and one did not know where its blanket was.
For the full story visit:
6 Sep 2010
Not Ready To Teach Year 12
An AEU survey of 147 Year 12 teachers claims the majority are worried that time is running out to properly prepare for the new SACE next year.
Fears have also been raised that students’ success in their final year will be jeopardised by the lack of planning.
The survey reveals:
· 9 out of 10 teachers have not had enough time to plan for Year 12 in 2011.
· 55% were having difficulty devising timetables due to uncertainty on how the new subject – the research project – would be managed.
· 84% are concerned about the workload for Year 12 teachers.
· 75% have issues with excessive paperwork in the new SACE.
· Nearly half are concerned with the lack of information provided to teach the subjects.
6 Sep 2010
Tough Entry Standards for New Teachers
In our recent Federal Election Submission, SAASSO called for higher standards to be set for entry into teaching courses.
Under a national overhaul of teacher education, new teachers may face tougher entry requirements from as soon as next year..
A consultation paper on a national accreditation system for education degrees, released by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), specifies:
· School leavers will need to score in the top 30% in English and maths to study primary teaching, and in the top 30% in English to become a high school teacher.
· Increasing the amount of disciplinary study in education degrees - requiring high school teachers to major in one subject for at least 3 years and preferably a minor study for at least 2 years in a second subject.
· Requiring universities to train prospective teachers in special education, teaching indigenous students, classroom and behaviour management, assessment and the use of data.
Accreditation standards, which vary from state to state, are used to set the minimum employment standards for teachers entering the profession.
The national system would align university courses with the professional standards for graduate teachers, which AITSL is in the process of finalising.
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For more information visit:
5 Sep 2010
Unpaid School Fees
It has been reported that more than 50 SA parents have arrest warrants issued against them - for not paying their children's school fees.
Some outstanding amounts are as low as $337, but debts owed by parents to public schools for school fees and material charges currently top more than $1 million.
AEU SA branch president Correna Haythorpe said “parents would be shocked to learn they could be arrested for not paying fees, and that schools and DECS should be doing more to help them.”
But Education Minister Jay Weatherill states parents who did not pay school fees were given a ‘number of opportunities’ to discuss payments with schools.
Once the court has issued a warrant, it is up to the school to apply to the Sheriff's Office to have it served.
3 Sep 2010
Education Officials Colluded Over Tests
Confidential emails released under Freedom of Information laws, show Government education officials colluded to contain the fallout from parents complaining about alleged cheating during this year’s NAPLAN tests.
Federal Education Department senior manager Sue Blackall said then Education Minister Julia Gillard had received an email about alleged cheating and she urged that the response of the department and ACARA to ‘be consistent’.
While, Natalie Cooper, a media adviser to Ms Gillard, wrote it would be a ‘good idea’ not to give the impression that safeguards weren't in place for the tests.
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3 Sep 2010
New Award for SA Teachers
After more than 2 years of negotiations, a new award for SA teachers in public schools and preschools has been handed down by the IRC – finally bringing an end to the arbitration process.
The Award brings together the IRCSA Stage 1 Decision on wages & classification structures handed down in February 2010, and the Stage 2 Decision on conditions of employment handed down in June 2010.
Education Minister Jay Weatherill said work will now be on implementation of the new Student-Centred Funding Model for the 2011 school year.
31 Aug 2010
New Uni Rules For Year 12 Students
Next year, universities will introduce new entry requirements for high school students who opt for Vocational Education & Training (VET) subjects.
Students who complete VET subjects such as carpentry and hairdressing as part of their SACE, will not receive a tertiary entrance rank (TER) score – unless they complete an entire Certificate III course at TAFE on top of their classroom study.
Certificate III courses can require up to 450 hours of course work, and in some cases a 6 week work placement.
This means that Year 12 students who study these subjects will virtually rule themselves out of being able to attend university.
Concerns have been raised about the pressure on VET students to juggle this type of course, as well as other required Year 12 subjects.
The SA Secondary Principals Association says the move would discourage students to follow tertiary education pathways.
But other educators believe the move will ensure graduate standards are not lowered.
Adelaide University said completing Certificate III VET courses ensured school leavers had the skills and knowledge required to move successfully to a university course.
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31 Aug 2010
Debate Grows Over Year 7 Move
In March, we first told you about discussions amongst the education community about moving Year 7 to high school.
To ensure a smooth rollout of the new national curriculum, pressure is now mounting on SA to follow the lead of eastern states and review the situation - with SA educators wanting an open debate on the delivery of Year 7 at high school vs. primary school.
Currently, only SA, WA & QLD have Year 7 in primary schools. However, the latter two states are making some moves towards changing the practice.
As schools begin the lengthy process of mapping the new curriculum against the current framework, concerns have been raised that it will be near impossible to teach the Year 7 curriculum successfully at the primary school level.
The SA Primary Principals Association supports the retention of Year 7 as it is. But SAPPA President Steve Portlock, said there was also support for a middle school scenario - a possible long term solution to the issue, where students are supported in the transition through a different approach to teaching.
Although SA Education Minister Jay Weatherill refuses to rule out moving Year 7 to high school, he said there are no plans to review the situation - with DECS efforts instead focused on helping schools deliver the curriculum in the current setting.
Opposition Education Spokesman David Pisoni said “the process which the QLD and WA Governments are going through in terms of reviewing the situation step by step is something South Australia should consider.”
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30 Aug 2010
Principals Win Pay Rise
In addition, principals have also been awarded pay rises of up to $5500 from next year, in a bid by DECS and the union to start addressing the “unreasonable, excessive and unsustainable” workload of teachers and leaders.
Negotiations have led to a new principal classification system, relating to:
· Disadvantage
· School isolation, and
· Enrolment numbers
The new principals pay rate is in addition to the 15.75% over 4 years agreement for teachers made earlier this year.
Pay rates for public school principals will rise 4% - from between $88,175 and $133,946 this year to $91,702 and $139,304 next year.
28 Aug 2010
Australia’s Clever Country Tag Just A Myth
Another organisation has also had their say on the state of Australia’s education - with the head of Adult Learning Australia stating that the perception Australia is the ‘clever country’ is a myth.
Ms Sally Thompson has warned Australia is lagging behind the rest of the developed world in literacy and numeracy.
According the OECD, Australia is below average in the percentage of people who have completed Year 12.
27 Aug 2010
Teachers Can Remain - Even After 10 Years
In a planned shake-up of the school recruitment system, SA Education Minister Jay Weatherill has announced public school teachers will no longer be forced to move schools every 10 years.
Under the changes, principals would be given more authority to recruit the staff that best suits their needs, and contract teachers will have more opportunity for permanent employment.
Currently, teachers have to move to a new school when their 10-year term is complete and are then given priority to fill new vacancies. While, contract or graduate teachers often miss out on jobs for which they are better qualified.
The initiatives form the first of a series of policy direction discussion papers.
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26 Aug 2010
Young Australians Lack Knowledge In Faith
A visiting UK academic Dr Peter Vardy says young Australians are growing up in a moral vacuum because many schools do not teach ethics or religious education and values.
The Vice-Principal of the University of London’s Heythrop College, said the lack of these teachings, particularly in state schools, meant young people were unable to think deeply on issues such as God's existence, life after death, the nature of good and evil and ethical questions about genetics, sex and euthanasia.
Dr Vardy, who spoke to educators on the topic last week, said modern films like Avatar, Twilight, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter could be used by teachers to raise these issues with students and generate discussion.
In addition, Dr Peter Vardy also believes young Australians are growing up with almost no knowledge about Islam, warning a lack of education in schools about the Muslim faith could be “potentially damaging” and foster ignorance and prejudice.
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25 Aug 2010
Target Children Via School
Australia’s education standards in our lowest socio-economic areas are up to two years behind the rest of the country.
The OECD estimates that the percentage of students ‘at risk’ of leaving school without basic skills to work, is nearly 30% in low SES districts.
Researchers now say that schools should be the front line for tackling this educational disadvantage.
Typically social services in low SES areas are targeted at parents. Professor Cobb-Clark, director of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research, says that instead, ‘targeting of social services at children’.
Areas where school could become more involved ranged from providing breakfast and lunch programs to working more closely with local communities.
Professor Cobb Clark’s research found that low SES students are:
less likely to complete year 12
less likely to engage in music and sport
more likely to be chronically late for class
more likely to be suspended or expelled.
Professor Cobb-Clark, an economist from the University of Michigan, says that we need to recognise that schools are doing more than education.
“They are front-line social institutions for dealing with the next generation and they aren’t currently resourced or structured for that.”
The OECD estimates that the percentage of students ‘at risk’ of leaving school without basic skills to work, is nearly 30% in low SES districts.
Researchers now say that schools should be the front line for tackling this educational disadvantage.
Typically social services in low SES areas are targeted at parents. Professor Cobb-Clark, director of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research, says that instead, ‘targeting of social services at children’.
Areas where school could become more involved ranged from providing breakfast and lunch programs to working more closely with local communities.
Professor Cobb Clark’s research found that low SES students are:
less likely to complete year 12
less likely to engage in music and sport
more likely to be chronically late for class
more likely to be suspended or expelled.
Professor Cobb-Clark, an economist from the University of Michigan, says that we need to recognise that schools are doing more than education.
“They are front-line social institutions for dealing with the next generation and they aren’t currently resourced or structured for that.”
For the full story visit:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/target-children-via-school/story-e6frgcjx-1225906517969
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/target-children-via-school/story-e6frgcjx-1225906517969
25 Aug 2010
Greens Propose Bigger Mining Tax
With the success of The Greens at Saturday’s election, their policies are now under the spotlight.
An infrastructure pledge, which came out late in the campaign, in particular, could be a windfall for schools.
The Greens have promised to continue support for the BER, to ensure the remainder of the much criticised $16 billion program is rolled out.
In the minds of many, one reason for the strong showing of The Greens at the election, was voter disenchantment with Labor over their proposed Mining Tax - now holding sizeable power, The Greens want to push for the tax to be raised.
Greens leader, Senator Brown also proposed increasing the mining tax by $2 billion, to fund a raft of educational initiatives.
Key spending would be on extra support for teachers and grants to employ extra teachers.
An infrastructure pledge, which came out late in the campaign, in particular, could be a windfall for schools.
The Greens have promised to continue support for the BER, to ensure the remainder of the much criticised $16 billion program is rolled out.
In the minds of many, one reason for the strong showing of The Greens at the election, was voter disenchantment with Labor over their proposed Mining Tax - now holding sizeable power, The Greens want to push for the tax to be raised.
Greens leader, Senator Brown also proposed increasing the mining tax by $2 billion, to fund a raft of educational initiatives.
Key spending would be on extra support for teachers and grants to employ extra teachers.
25 Aug 2010
Private Schools Threat
Still on The Greens (an introduction we should all get used to), the Independent Schools Association claims the party wants to strip funding from private schools to and ... spend it on public schools.
Greens Senator, Sarah Hansen-Young, emphatically denied the claims, referring instead to the above-mentioned tax as the way to increase funding to public schools.
Greens Senator, Sarah Hansen-Young, emphatically denied the claims, referring instead to the above-mentioned tax as the way to increase funding to public schools.
For the full story visit:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/18/2986066.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/18/2986066.htm
25 Aug 2010
Alcohol Advertisements On Facebook
Experts are warning schools that alcohol companies are bypassing advertising laws and encouraging binge-drinking, by promoting products on Facebook.
Apparently the 2009 changes to the alcohol advertising code, do not apply to social networking sites.
Apparently the 2009 changes to the alcohol advertising code, do not apply to social networking sites.
25 Aug 2010
Calls For More Exciting Maths & Science
In the seemingly never-ending fallout from Australia’s maths and science crisis, Engineers Australia has revealed a shortage of engineers in Australia.
The association’s chief executive, Peter Taylor, has labelled the shortage, ‘critical’, stating Australia already lacks 20,000 qualified engineers.
Mr. Taylor is calling for an increased focus on maths and science to help combat the problem. “At secondary level, there is a disturbing tend for students to lose interest in science and mathematics.”
The association also says that, “Primary curricula should present concepts in a way that will excite, interest and motivate students to study the sciences”.
Professor Dowd, dean of Engineering at Adelaide University, suggests making maths, science, English and the humanities compulsory for senior schools students.
However, with up to 40% of SA’s current maths and science teachers not qualified in the subjects they are teaching, it is unclear how either of these suggestions can be implemented.
The association’s chief executive, Peter Taylor, has labelled the shortage, ‘critical’, stating Australia already lacks 20,000 qualified engineers.
Mr. Taylor is calling for an increased focus on maths and science to help combat the problem. “At secondary level, there is a disturbing tend for students to lose interest in science and mathematics.”
The association also says that, “Primary curricula should present concepts in a way that will excite, interest and motivate students to study the sciences”.
Professor Dowd, dean of Engineering at Adelaide University, suggests making maths, science, English and the humanities compulsory for senior schools students.
However, with up to 40% of SA’s current maths and science teachers not qualified in the subjects they are teaching, it is unclear how either of these suggestions can be implemented.
25 Aug 2010
Coober Pedy School Chief Thrown Out
The assistant principal of Coober Pedy Area School has been suspended because of misconduct allegations by the school’s Governing Council.
Kym Taylor was escorted from the school last Thursday and placed on paid leave, while DECS investigates.
It is the second ‘removal’ this year, after former head Sue Burtenshaw left following an inquiry into her treatment of parents and students.
DECS says that there were ‘a range of factors that had led to deputy-principal Taylors suspension’. Recent allegations by the Governing Council and its call for her removal, however, seem to have immediately precipitated the suspension, while her conduct is investigated.
The State Opposition is calling on DECS to release reports relating to the incidences at the school, so that a balanced decision can be made.
Kym Taylor was escorted from the school last Thursday and placed on paid leave, while DECS investigates.
It is the second ‘removal’ this year, after former head Sue Burtenshaw left following an inquiry into her treatment of parents and students.
DECS says that there were ‘a range of factors that had led to deputy-principal Taylors suspension’. Recent allegations by the Governing Council and its call for her removal, however, seem to have immediately precipitated the suspension, while her conduct is investigated.
The State Opposition is calling on DECS to release reports relating to the incidences at the school, so that a balanced decision can be made.
For the full story visit:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/20/2988952.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/20/2988952.htm
25 Aug 2010
Students To Learn Financial Literacy
In the current edition of School Post, Lauren Djakovac wrote about the importance of developing financial literacy skills in our children.
Now, the Federal Government has announced plans to teach vital financial life skills in Australia’s high schools.
Practical skills like managing budgets and avoiding excessive mobile phone bills will be included in the new initiative.
Teachers will be trained by the Australian Securities & Insurance Commission.
Now, the Federal Government has announced plans to teach vital financial life skills in Australia’s high schools.
Practical skills like managing budgets and avoiding excessive mobile phone bills will be included in the new initiative.
Teachers will be trained by the Australian Securities & Insurance Commission.
20 Aug 2010
The Greens
A number of responses were received from individual Greens candidates, together with a formal policy response from their national office:
“... It is The Greens’ policy to ensure that education is given far more consideration, at a grass-roots level, than it is currently given.”
SA Senate Candidate Penny Wright, who served as chair of the Glenunga International High School’s Governing Council expressed a need for change to federal school funding to increase funds for public schools.
The national office expressed interest in the concept of Local Governance and are keen to explore the idea in greater detail.
“... It is The Greens’ policy to ensure that education is given far more consideration, at a grass-roots level, than it is currently given.”
SA Senate Candidate Penny Wright, who served as chair of the Glenunga International High School’s Governing Council expressed a need for change to federal school funding to increase funds for public schools.
The national office expressed interest in the concept of Local Governance and are keen to explore the idea in greater detail.
20 Aug 2010
Liberal
"Thank you for your recent email to the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott.
Unfortunately, from Opposition, we do not have the resources to respond to your email in detail during the campaign period, but your concerns will be brought to Tony’s attention and that of the Coalition Team.
After three years of Labor Government failures, Australians now have a choice.
Broken promises, increased cost of living pressures, massive debt, a Budget deficit, waste and mismanagement and new taxes are all placing unnecessary pressures on Australians. Further, Labor have removed a Prime Minister quickly and ruthlessly, ignoring the wishes of Australian voters. But it is the same government with the same problems creating the same mess."
http://www.liberal.org.au/
Unfortunately, from Opposition, we do not have the resources to respond to your email in detail during the campaign period, but your concerns will be brought to Tony’s attention and that of the Coalition Team.
After three years of Labor Government failures, Australians now have a choice.
Broken promises, increased cost of living pressures, massive debt, a Budget deficit, waste and mismanagement and new taxes are all placing unnecessary pressures on Australians. Further, Labor have removed a Prime Minister quickly and ruthlessly, ignoring the wishes of Australian voters. But it is the same government with the same problems creating the same mess."
http://www.liberal.org.au/
20 Aug 2010
Labor
Labor supplied a detailed document responding to SAASSO’s recommendations. Pledges included:
Enhanced school governance arrangements, giving school, councils or boards responsibility for strategic planning, and oversight of the school’s operations and finances. This will enhance parental and community ownership of local schools.
Responsibility for finance and the school budget, which will move to a one-line budget that allows them to fully manage the allocation of all resources, to meet the needs of students at each school and drive improved student performance.
Labor also pledged to implement a national system of pay. Assessment of teachers will be based on a range of methods including:
- Lesson observations
- Analysis of student performance data*
- Parental feedback
- Teacher qualifications and professional development undertaken.
http://www.alp.org.au/
Enhanced school governance arrangements, giving school, councils or boards responsibility for strategic planning, and oversight of the school’s operations and finances. This will enhance parental and community ownership of local schools.
Responsibility for finance and the school budget, which will move to a one-line budget that allows them to fully manage the allocation of all resources, to meet the needs of students at each school and drive improved student performance.
Labor also pledged to implement a national system of pay. Assessment of teachers will be based on a range of methods including:
- Lesson observations
- Analysis of student performance data*
- Parental feedback
- Teacher qualifications and professional development undertaken.
http://www.alp.org.au/
20 Aug 2010
Climate Scpetics
"Thank you sincerely for providing me with a well set out group of submissions. I have now read them several times over and I am saddened that the community values base to education,and indeed ,to the preparation of children to be acceptable to the society in which they live have not been included. That over 4000 children faced the court recently in SA, ignored in the submission, is astonishing ... I have long been an advocate for community values to be a major subject in the primary years of the education system before a teen mindset.
It is those values which have strengthened our society over hundreds of years and grown strong in spite of religious, military and political despots to destroy it. We ignore those values at our great risk if in the end we have merely developed a fine lot of educated thugs who may well know the Three R's..while the Fourth one is missing, Respect. "
It is those values which have strengthened our society over hundreds of years and grown strong in spite of religious, military and political despots to destroy it. We ignore those values at our great risk if in the end we have merely developed a fine lot of educated thugs who may well know the Three R's..while the Fourth one is missing, Respect. "
20 Aug 2010
Independent
"I thank you for sending through your public education submission for the upcoming federal election. I am standing as an Independent Senate candidate for Queensland. I have resigned from teaching to stand up for Public Education in the Federal arena. I am deeply concerned about the lowering of entry scores for teacher courses, the increases in HECS debts for students taking on these studies and the lack of value placed on putting teachers in their specialist teaching areas once qualified. I myself hold a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Education and Post Graduate Science Certificate in Physics but have been teaching Prep - Yr 10 SOSE and English for over 5 years!
I strongly support the recommendations you have proposed and will do everything possible to push for these to be put in place. I realise you are representing the SAASSO and would ask that you share my commitment with your QLD counterparts. One of the main reasons I am standing is to work with groups such as yours throughout my term in office."
I strongly support the recommendations you have proposed and will do everything possible to push for these to be put in place. I realise you are representing the SAASSO and would ask that you share my commitment with your QLD counterparts. One of the main reasons I am standing is to work with groups such as yours throughout my term in office."
20 Aug 2010
Family First
Family First advocate for “a higher level of involvement of parents in all areas of our education systems. Parents have a key role to play in the educational development of their kids...”
20 Aug 2010
Australian Democrats
The Democrats responded to a number of the recommendations in SAASSO’s submission:
"I invite you to consult our website on general policy. In addition, I generally like the idea of locally administerd schools. However a major ssue that has arisen in Victoria is how Special needs students are funded. With a locally administered school with a 'global budget' special needs students sometimes miss out on integration aides etc.Special Needs may then have to be funded centrally on a case by case basis as there is no way of .accurately anticipating Special Need.
I would also like to see some security of funds raised by local communities.
Teachers are indeed seriously underfunded. I find disturbing the number of teaching positions that involve a lack of qualificaton in the discipline being taught. In trade skills, a teacher must be a qualified tradesperson in that trade, as well as having a DipEd
I consider education an investment not a cost and think HECS is onerous, especially as there is no offset for persons doing community service here or overseas and in fact interest on the HECs debt compounds during such service.
The whole of society benefits from education and the whole of society must bear the cost."
I would also like to see some security of funds raised by local communities.
Teachers are indeed seriously underfunded. I find disturbing the number of teaching positions that involve a lack of qualificaton in the discipline being taught. In trade skills, a teacher must be a qualified tradesperson in that trade, as well as having a DipEd
I consider education an investment not a cost and think HECS is onerous, especially as there is no offset for persons doing community service here or overseas and in fact interest on the HECs debt compounds during such service.
The whole of society benefits from education and the whole of society must bear the cost."
20 Aug 2010
Democratic Labor Party
The Democratic Labor Party of Australia (DLP) have extensive education policies see www.dlp.org.au .
"We agree that the entrance score of teacher trainees is far too low and that English Maths and Science are important for all students.
We are not amused at Education policies whims based on waffling non-Australian Education theories that have been introduced over the last 30 years in Australia and would urge back to basics."
http://www.dlp.org.au/
20 Aug 2010
This week SAASSO released a special election edition of Education Update.
This bulletin showcases a selection of the feedback SAASSO has received from candidates, in response to our 2010 Federal Election submission
20 Aug 2010
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats expressed strong support for empowering parents in our local schools.
17 Aug 2010
NT Targets Our Teachers For Outback
A Northern Territory Education Department survey shows SA teachers are more likely to stay teaching in remote communities in the NT than those from other states.
Teachers across Australia are being targeted this week on an interstate recruitment drive, aiming to lure top teachers and new graduates to NT’s ‘Remote Teaching Service’ for next year.
According to the Department’s survey, 5.2% or 130 of 2500 teachers came from SA, with many originally qualified at Flinders University.
Remote Teaching Service Director of Strategic Workforce Chris Keightley said, although this was much lower than the number that come from other states, the survey found that “crucially SA teachers stayed teaching in the territory for longer than many others”.
He says Flinders University is training the kind of teachers the NT needs - as the teaching degree specifically trains people to teach in rural & remote areas.
For the full story visit:
17 Aug 2010
New Baccalaureate Raises Concerns
Last week we told you about Julia Gillard’s plans for a new national qualification - the Australian Baccalaureate.
The announcement has raised questions and concerns among key education stakeholders.
Educators have warned that a national senior education certificate would be unnecessary, potentially segregate schools and cause immense strain on the SA teaching profession.
For the full story visit:
17 Aug 2010
School Librarians
Education stakeholders and academics have called on the Federal Government to improve the SA teacher librarian workforce by:
· Supporting new university courses.
· Funding more tertiary places.
· Supporting librarian up-skilling.
The School Library Association of SA has contributed to the ongoing discussion around the changing demands on school libraries through the current Federal Inquiry.
SLASA President Lesley Brideson said the group supported, in principle, the recommendation that every school have a teacher librarian on staff.
However, she warns it would be a difficult goal to achieve in SA – as the recommendation would require a significant increase of the number of qualified librarians.
For the full story visit:
16 Aug 2010
School Post Term 3 2010
The term 3 edition of School Post is in schools this week.
This edition includes:
· Teach for Australia – SAASSO discusses how the Teach for Australia (TFA) program implemented by the Federal Government will work and also speaks to members from the Teach for Australia Class of ’10.
· Negotiated Education Plan – an overview of what it is, why it is used and who is involved.
· State of Australia’s Young People – SAASSO provides an insight into the 135 page report produced by the DEEWR on the social, economic, health and family lives of young Australians.
12 Aug 2010
Parents Worry Over Childcare Costs
A survey has revealed that some parents relying on childcare will be forced to quit their jobs, and others will delay having more children, if the cost of care is pushed up by measures to improve standards in the industry.
Conducted by Childcare Alliance Australia, the survey found if the cost per child increased by $13 - $22 a day, as a result of the Federal Government's National Quality Agenda reforms:
· 74% of families said they would have difficulty managing the cost.
· This includes 47% of parents who said they could definitely not afford any such increase.
· 51% said one parent would quit their job if childcare costs increased.
· 1 in 2 families said they would withdraw their children from current long-day childcare centre.
· 8 in 10 parents said they already found the cost of childcare expensive and have some or considerable difficulty with payments.
For the full story visit:
11 Aug 2010
SAASSO 2010 Federal Election Submission
This week SAASSO released its 2010 Federal Election Submission for Public Education.
The issues outlined in this submission are critical to education in Australia today.
SAASSO asks all parties to give serious consideration to these priorities when developing education policy.
Issues covered in the submission include:
· Local Governance
· Teacher Quality
· Performance Pay
· Literacy and Numeracy
· Special Needs Education
11 Aug 2010
No Check, No Cheque
Under a re-elected Labor Government, full medical checkups for around 3700 SA 4 year olds would become compulsory, before their parents could receive the Family Tax Benefit A end of year income supplement.
The compulsory ‘Healthy Kids Check’ would be operational from July 1, 2011.
The policy is designed to ensure children of some low income families are not further disadvantaged as they enter the school.
10 Aug 2010
Labor’s Education Reform Plans
In the last week, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has outlined a number of policies, as part of the Labor Party’s proposed education reform package.
· A new online learning program
- Labor will develop a national online assessment and learning bank for parents, students and teachers to use; containing questions and tests that will provide feedback on a student's performance.
· A new truancy and student retention initiative
- The ‘No School, No Play’ plan will stop children from playing weekend sport if they do not attend school.
· Expansion of the National Chaplaincy Program
- The program will receive $222m to reach a further 1000 schools (including those in remote or disadvantaged locations) - seeing a total of 3700 schools with a chaplain service.
· Bonus payments for teachers
- In the first step towards performance pay, Ms Gillard has outlined a scheme where the top 10% of teachers will receive a one-off bonus payment based on their performance.
· An incentive program for schools
- Incentive payments will be offered to schools which show improvement in students’ attendance and results.
· Encouraging professionals into the classroom
- The ‘Teach Next’ program will see professionals fast-tracked into classrooms, in a bid to ease shortages in math and science. Successful applicants will receive subsidised training and up to $10,000 to cover expenses.
For the full story visit:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/labor-plan-to-tackle-teacher-shortages-by-attracting-skilled-professionals-into-the-industry/story-fn59niix-1225903353409
9 Aug 2010
Parents Fill School Gap
To combat the strain on school support staff, parents are volunteering in schools by answering phones and assisting in classrooms, to free up SSO’s for more student face-time.
Many education groups state it's ‘common’ for parents to complete office duties or perform literacy coaching to help schools balance staff shortages.
But SA Primary Principals Association President Steve Portlock, said there was a need to ensure school staff, including volunteers and SSO’s, were properly skilled.
Currently, there are no qualifications for SSO’s - with SAPPA calling for more extensive training and compulsory qualifications for SSO’s.
For the full story visit:
8 Aug 2010
Year 12 Certificate
Ms Gillard has also announced plans for a new national school leaving certificate.
Under the proposal, students would be able to leave school with a qualification that would be recognised around the world.
The Australian Baccalaureate would be an alternative to state-based final-year certificates and the International Baccalaureate.
It would target high achieving students and would be a voluntary program offered to schools from 2015.
Ms Gillard said “now, at the end of Year 12, Australian students have nine separate school certificates that result in lack of comparability of student results.”
For the full story visit:
7 Aug 2010
BER Report Revealed
A report into the Federal Government’s BER program was released last week - laying blame for much of the waste in the program on the states.
The report by the Implementation Taskforce noted “while the commonwealth provided the funding and developed the guidelines, implementation and delivery was the responsibility of government and non-government education authorities in each state and territory.”
The report revealed the majority of the 254 complaints, raised ‘very valid’ concerns about the program's decision-making process and the ability to deliver value for money.
There were 9 complaints from South Australia.
The report also calls for the effective dismantling of the schools building stimulus program as it now stands. It says any projects not yet under contract, or that are unlikely to finish before the end of March, be delivered by the states under their pre-BER building programs.
Ms Gillard has promised to implement all 14 recommendations of the report.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said no level of waste was acceptable stating "sure, not all schools have complained about their project, but that doesn't mean that value for money has been achieved in all projects or even in most projects”.
Opposition Education Spokesman Christopher Pyne has said if elected, the Coalition would launch a judicial inquiry into the BER and consider disbanding the taskforce.
For the full story visit:
3 Aug 2010
Increase In Family Tax Benefit
Labor is also promising increased assistance to help with the cost of raising older teenagers still at school.
The maximum Family Tax Benefit payment for student children aged between 16 & 18 will rise from $51.24 to $208 fortnightly from January 1, 2012 - the same as that paid for 13 to 15 year old students.
Ms Gillard said the changes would see an increase in the yearly payment to $6161 from $2062.
For the full story visit:
2 Aug 2010
Students Taught Jurassic History
Primary school students in QLD are being taught that humans coexisted with dinosaurs and that there is fossil evidence to prove it.
Fundamentalist Christians are taking control of religious instruction classes, despite education experts saying Creationism and attempts to convert children to Christianity have no place in public schools.
Critics are calling for the Religious Instruction program to be scrapped after claims emerged children are being taught that:
· Noah collected dinosaur eggs to bring on the Ark,
· Adam and Eve were not eaten by dinosaurs because they were under a protective spell.
Hearing that all people were descended from Adam and Eve, one year 5 student raised the issue of being ‘inbred’ - the reply to which was that DNA wasn’t invented then....
For the full story visit:
2 Aug 2010
Labor Will Provide Principals With Power
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced she will give more power to principals to manage their own budget and hire teachers.
The ‘Empowering Local Schools’ program would allow 1000 school principals to voluntarily sign up to the new scheme from 2012, to effectively create independent public schools.
Principals will be able to use non-teaching staff to take over operational duties from teachers and also hire specialist teachers.
Ms Gillard said the Federal Government would provide some funding assistance for principals to make the changes.
It would include a leadership institute "where school principals can get the kind of additional training they need to be effectively the school CEO as well as its educational leader".
For the full story visit:
30 Jul 2010
More Federal Election Promises
With the election looming, both leaders visited Adelaide last week, announced extra funding for children with disabilities, and then left.
LABOR
Labor will allow parents with disabled children to claim up to $12,000 over two years for early intervention services from July 1 next year.
Prime Minister Gillard also promised approximately $122m to provide disabled children under six years old, with access to services such as:
· speech pathology
· Audiology
· occupational therapy
· physiotherapy and
· psychology.
LIBERAL
The Coalition will create an ‘Education Card’, which will be worth up to $20,000 a year to support children with disabilities at a school of their choice.
Currently, funding to support children with disabilities is paid to the school.
With the ‘Education Card’, the money would follow the child, so if they left the school, the money would go with them. It is expected that almost 6,000 children will benefit initially.
The concept was welcomed by the National Disability Services Chief Executive, Ken Baker, “It’s good because it provides greater choice for families ... If a child isn’t thriving in one school then they can transfer to another school and the money goes with them.”
For the full story visit:
29 Jul 2010
Funding Model ‘Favours’ Private Schools
A new report ‘School Funding Futures’ by Dr Jim McMorrow investigates the ‘financial implications’ of continuing the current federal funding model for another four years.
Although it does not include State Government funding, the report warns that if the funding model continues as it is, private schools would get a $2.3b rise in federal general recurrent funding for 2012 - almost four times higher than the increase for public schools at $652 million.
For the full story visit:
28 Jul 2010
IT Support For Schools
Meanwhile, the Rann Government will spend $12 million, hiring an extra 120 full-time IT support staff to alleviate pressure on principals who say that IT issues are taking up too much of their time and resources.
The money will be distributed proportionally to schools according to enrolments.
For more information visit:
27 Jul 2010
Childcare
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has pledged to inject $89m into childcare services.
The Liberals would restore indexation to the childcare rebate, a measure worth $300 a year per child to families on the maximum rebate rate.
Mr. Abbott also announced he would reverse the $12m cut made by Labor to occasional care funding.
For the full story visit:
27 Jul 2010
Principals Outline ‘Wish list’ For Election
In the lead up to the federal election, the Australian Primary Principals Association has outlined what they want the next Government to deliver.
Last week, they sent a set of questions to the major political parties requesting their support for primary education and seeking resources for the following four areas:
· Specialist science training.
· Support for students with disabilities
· Greater transparency of school funding.
· A need for greater flexibility in handling the social & emotional learning needs of students through chaplaincies, counsellors, etc.
For more information visit:
27 Jul 2010
Teaching Kids To Drive
Nearly half of respondents to a RAA survey believe parents do not have sufficient driving skills to teach their children how to drive properly – and should be banned from doing so.
1332 members were surveyed revealing:
· More than 49% said they did not have the skills required to teach a learner.
· More than 47% thought parents should be banned from teaching their children to drive.
However, RAA manager of mobility and safety, Wendy Bevan, said it was not practical to ban parents from instructing their children. "Instead, they should be supported to ensure they have the confidence and the skills required to teach a learner driver how to drive correctly."
The RAA supports the national keys2drive initiative, which offers a free driving lesson for learners and a parent or supervisor with a qualified, accredited driving instructor, and provides tips for parents about how to mentor their children and avoid passing on bad habits.
For the full story visit:
26 Jul 2010
Year 12 School Leavers
A new survey, the ‘2009 Sample Survey of SA Year 12 School Leavers’ paints a picture of what students who graduated in 2008 did in their first year out of school.
The Centre for Post Compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning conducted the survey, to better inform school sectors and the SACE Board about what directions students take on completing their senior secondary education.
Almost 2000 young people were surveyed revealing:
· 14% of school leavers (up 2% on 2008) deferred their study, and of that number 47% cited financial reasons for doing so.
· 1 in 10 mentioned wanting to work to qualify for Youth Allowance.
· More than 35% said they wanted a break from study, and about 24% said they wanted to travel.
· Almost 94% of school leavers were studying, working or training in the following year.
· More than 4 in 10 school leavers had gone on to university, an increase from the previous year.
· Almost 29% were in full time or part-time work.
25 Jul 2010
Autism Students Suspended
Public schools are suspending autistic students at a rate of 3 a week, with figures in the 'Sunday Mail' revealing a growing number of violent confrontations involving disabled children.
Data from Autism SA, reveals 96 students with Aspergers syndrome or other autism-related disorders have been suspended since the start of this year, with 69 removed from campus last term. It comes as DECS figures shows schools are reporting an increasing number of violent episodes involving children with disabilities.
A register of ‘critical incidents’ obtained by Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire reveals there were 30 emergencies involving disabled students – including students hitting and threatening teachers and classmates – in the first 5 months of this year. This compares with 58 similar incidents in 2009 and 12 in 2008.
The State Government announced in March it would spend $17m over four years, including $9m on six specialist education units, to provide places for an extra 120 students with disabilities, and $4.25m in extra funds for early assessments and intervention services for children with ASD.
Mr Brokenshire said the funding was a ‘drop in the bucket’ and the increasing numbers of incidents showed the Government was not “looking after” disabled children. State Education Minister Jay Weatherill said, last year the State Government invested more than $200m in supporting students with disabilities in public schools.
21 Jul 2010
2010 Federal Election Promises
With the August 21 election looming, both Labor and Liberal have begun to release their policies. Although education does not appear to play a large role, both parties have announced some education-related promises.
Labor
A re-elected Labor Government will launch a new national trade cadetship where students will be able to participate in a new work experience program.
The $3m initiative would enable vocational education and training to be recognised at school and count towards future qualifications.
The program would start in 2012, with 50,000 work experience places in the first year.
Liberal
Meanwhile, the Federal Opposition has promised to raise the education tax refund rebate if they win government.
Mr. Abbot says the 50% rebate will be lifted to $500 for each primary school student and $1000 for each secondary student - raising the spending limit for the rebate to $1000 for primary school students and $2000 for high school students.
In addition parents will be able to claim the cost of school fees in the expanded rebate – which will start on January 1st 2011.
This comes after Ms Gillard announced she will extend the rebate to include school uniforms, starting July 1st 2011.
For more information about this years education tax refund visit: http://www.saasso.asn.au/educationrevolution/refund-revolution
For the full story visit:
21 Jul 2010
School Bus Contracts
The State Opposition says regional school bus operators are facing uncertainty because the SA Government will not offer long-term contracts – with only two-year rollover contracts being offered and 65 of these expire at the end of 2010.
Liberal MP Peter Treloar says short contracts mean many country operators may decide not to update their bus fleets – such as installing seatbelts and air conditioning.
SA Education Minister Jay Weatherill says decisions are yet to be made on school bus contracts up for renewal because some operators may want to expand their businesses.
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21 Jul 2010
Principals Teacher Pay Concern
After an enterprise bargaining dispute lasting two years, and a new pay band created by the IRC, principals are now being advised not to sign teachers on to the highest available pay scale.
The SA Primary Principals Association has raised concerns that the Step 9 classification rewards length of service rather than quality of teaching – which has been an ongoing issue in relation to teacher / performance pay.
Association President, Steve Portlock, said principals supported teachers' hard work being recognised but they wanted greater clarity over the approval process for the new pay band.
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20 Jul 2010
WA Independent Public Schools
Within the next year, almost 100 WA public schools will be operating independently.
WA Education Minister, Liz Constable, has announced 64 more public schools will take an independent status from 2011 – with this second round being almost double the initial 34 schools who became independent this year.
The Minister states “parents and school communities are embracing this new initiative and find it allows them to have a greater say in how their school is run”.
These schools will have the flexibility and autonomy to make decisions that meet the specific needs of their students, including recruitment and selection of teachers, education programs and management of their own budgets.
The second intake will also represent a number of schools from different socio-economic backgrounds - 25% from regional and 75% from the metro areas.
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16 Jul 2010
Solar Scheme
After it was abruptly suspended in October last year, the Federal Government has brought back its National Solar School Program – just in time for the election.
The scheme provides grants of up to $50,000 to schools for solar panels, solar hot water heaters and water tanks.
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13 Jul 2010
Youth Parliament
Last week, almost 100 young people aged 16-25 gathered at Parliament House to debate youth issues during the 15th annual Youth Parliament Forum.
The program aims to give young people the opportunity to express their views and develop leadership skills.
Participants were given a chance to debate and amend Bills and pass ‘legislation’. Some of the key youth issues covered were:
· Mental health
· Bullying prevention
· Driver education
· Counsellors in schools
· International student support.
Their legislation will be presented to the State Government with the hope government agencies will consider their recommendations.
12 Jul 2010
Sexual Assaults in WA
Also in WA, Education Dpt figures have revealed an alarming rise in sexual misconduct complaints against teachers – with more than one teacher a week being investigated.
Complaints range from sexual contact with students to grooming behaviour and students reporting inappropriate conduct that made them feel uncomfortable.
In the first 9 months of 09-10, the Education Dpt admitted 66 teachers and staff were accused of "inappropriate conduct, which may be sexually motivated" - up from 40 teachers in 08-09.
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http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/more-than-one-teacher-a-week-investigated-for-sexual-assault/story-e6frea8c-12258902495859 Jul 2010
Premiers Be Active Challenge
240 schools will receive a combined $100,000 to buy extra sports equipment to support students registering in the ‘Premiers Be Active Challenge’.
The number of students involved has now reached 35,000 – a far cry from the 7,500 who completed the challenge in 2007 when the program began.
A further $50,000 will be shared by 50 of the highest-achieving schools at the end of the school year.
9 Jul 2010
Year 12 ‘Super School’ Concern
The new Gepps Cross ‘super school’ campus is due to open in Term 2 2011, but there are concerns that the opening will disrupt Year 12 students.
The school is set to amalgamate 4 current schools (including Enfield High) and some parents, including Chair of Enfield High governing council, Joann Wilkins, are worried about their children starting Year 12 at one school and completing it at another.
Principal of the new school Sandy Richardson says it is not an ideal situation, but students will be kept together as they tackle their subjects.
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8 Jul 2010
Liberals To Give Schools Say
Primary school principals have welcomed a Coalition plan to give them more say over federally funded projects.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott & Education Spokesman Christopher Pyne have announced how they would improve the $14.1 billion P21 element of the BER that has been plagued by claims of waste and rorting.
2 Jul 2010
School Funding Reform
A new report ‘Resourcing Schools in Australia: A proposal for the restructure of public funding’, released by the Education Foundation, argues that public and private schools should be funded under one system - making school resourcing fairer and more transparent.
Some aspects of the report's proposed model are:
· All schools would get a minimum "community rate" of government funding
· Extra government funding for all schools would then be calculated based on their private revenue (such as school fees)
· Schools with little or no private investment would receive support from two new major public sources - needs-based funding and the community guarantee fund
· The $2b community guarantee fund would be established to encourage and reward those schools in all sectors that offer open enrolments, and support closer integration of schools with their communities
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