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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 49 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

quite to the contrary. The new arrangements for school-based management in the ACT schools will improve and enhance equity of access to educational resources through increased flexibility, increased community involvement in resource decisions, increased transparency in the allocation process, and improved mechanisms for review and adjustment of allocations.

The enhanced school-based management model, which we are introducing into the ACT government school system this year, is the culmination of an extensive process that took into account, in detail, the views of the community. Equity, Mr Speaker, was an important factor in the design of the model and in the consultative process. In fact, the Government's commitment to equity in the provision of education is no newer a concept than is the concept of school-based management itself. The ACT school system has a long history of high levels of devolution of management to the school level, and an equally long history of commitment to ensuring equity in access to education.

The consultative process we have employed in designing and implementing the enhanced school-based management model has ensured and highlighted the fundamental right that all students have to equal access to a quality education. Through this consultative process the community made it clear that they required outcomes for students, fairness, accountability, community involvement and transparency. The new school-based management arrangements focus particularly on transparency and the important equity implications inherent in this principle. The school management manual sets out a very explicit model for each of the items funded and, Mr Speaker, the allocations to schools are based on publicly available data. This ensures equity and fairness in the distribution of resources.

Further, the School Resources Group, a committee of principals, provides a mechanism for reviewing and adjusting allocations to enhance equity. Under these new arrangements, the community's control over equity is enhanced. I reiterate, Mr Speaker, that this right has been embodied in the ACT schools system since its inception and it will not be diminished by the introduction of the enhancements to school-based management that the Government is putting into place from this year. In fact, equity in the allocation of educational resources will be improved by the new arrangements. These arrangements provide the tools for the community to review and adjust allocations to areas of greatest need.

Mr Speaker, also embodied in the enhanced school-based management model are specific arrangements to provide support to schools in implementing the new arrangements, and devolving additional management responsibilities to schools will not affect the framework the Government has already established for assisting students with equity needs. A broad range of services is currently in place to improve equity outcomes for students. Almost $35m is provided to government schools to assist over 12,000 students. Resources are provided for students with physical or intellectual disabilities. Resources are provided for students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or culturally diverse backgrounds. Resources are provided for those with learning difficulties and those at risk of not completing school. These resources have not been devolved to schools and will remain centrally administered.

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