Page 2837 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 24 June 2009
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and other state and territory governments want parents to be able to monitor the performance of their child. Understanding how an individual child fits within a particular class will help teachers and parents to engage with their child’s learning. Parents regularly ask each other about the goals, values and educational approaches of different schools. They ask about the extracurricular activities and how good the teachers are. With more accurate information, parents can make better choices and schools can keep improving.
Ms Hunter’s motion reflects the complex nature of this policy area and there are areas that we are still working on—for instance, defining “like schools”. This is complicated. I acknowledge that, but it cannot be used as an excuse for inaction and delay. I am particularly impressed by the innovative proposal to publish the best-performing school in each cohort of “like schools” as a benchmark. This is a great way to have a race to the top—a virtuous circle of evidence and excellence. I am also impressed that the results will apply to both government and non-government schools. It is another great demonstration that the old public versus private debate is over.
Madam Assistant Speaker, there is no doubt these reforms are hard. So why are we pressing ahead? It is because I sincerely believe more and better information is good for schools and their students; it is good for parents and families; and it is good for the community as a whole. More information is good for schools and students.
Schools have the primary accountability for improving student outcomes. So principals and teachers need reliable, rich data on the performance of their students. This is how they can improve outcomes for all of their students. It supports effective diagnosis of student progress and the design of high-quality learning. It is the evidence base for a schools approach to everything from program design, to school policies, to relationships with parents, and to partnerships with the community and business.
More information is good for parents and families. Information about the performance of individuals, schools and education systems helps parents and families make informed choices and engage with their child’s education and their school community. Parents and families should have access to data on student results. If they want to assess a school’s overall performance and to improve school outcomes, I support them. If they want to consider the philosophy and educational approach of schools, their facilities, programs and extracurricular activities, I support them. If they want information about a school’s enrolment profile, I support them.
More information is good for the community as a whole. Community access to information enables an understanding of the decisions taken by governments and the status and performance of schooling in Australia. Schools should be accountable for the results they achieve with the public funding that they receive, just as governments should be accountable for the decisions they take. We owe it to the community, which ultimately pays for education in the government and non-government sectors. I want the community as a whole to know more about how we deliver education in Australia. Why? Because we have got a good story to tell.
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