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TASMANIAN public schools have the most to gain of from the $5 billion Gonski reform of education funding.
Thirty years after the last look at school funding, the exhaustive report by a panel chaired by businessman David Gonski was released yesterday along with a response from the Federal Government.
Neither Prime Minister Julia Gillard or Federal Education Minister Peter would make a commitment on funding, warning about sticking to budget surplus, and said they would now consult widely.
But the review's message was clear:
Australian education standards are fast slipping below other wealthy countries.
Students from poorer families have been hit hardest in resources and results under the present funding system.
Schools have not been transparent about wealth and spending.
Tasmania has a higher proportion of disadvantaged children.
Public schools have been losing high-performing children to non-government schools, worsening the gap.
Funding is not the only answer, with a culture change needed.
Mr Gonski said the recommendations must be implemented after Australia plummeted from third to 13th in the world in maths.
"This is the only way we can ensure our children and young people receive an excellent education in schools that are funded appropriately, regardless of sector and jurisdiction," Mr Gonski said yesterday.
The cost was estimated at $5 billion if put in place in 2009.
Tasmania has a higher proportion of children in public schools, and the review recommended about three-quarters of the extra money go to those, while disadvantaged students also needed more funds, the review found.
The report urges the setting up of a School Resource Standard to determine funding.
That was based on a standard of competence in NAPLAN results set by higher-performing schools and what spending was needed to achieve that.
Tasmanian Education Minister Nick McKim said he would work constructively with other states and the Commonwealth to nut out a funding plan.
"I welcome any funding model that puts more money into state schools and helps disadvantaged students," he said.
Almost 70 per cent of students in Tasmania attend government schools.
It has 20 per cent in Catholic schools, the national average, but only 11 per cent of children attend independent schools, compared with 14 per cent interstate.
Private enrolments had soared interstate, the report showed, and that would have happened here if more people could afford it, some public school leaders said.
Tasmanian Principals Association president David Raw said he was excited at the potential offered by the report, and welcomed acknowledgement that public schools with children from disadvantaged backgrounds had been doing it tough.
"It's a bit of a watershed for Tasmanian government education, because it shows Tasmania ought to be attracting a bigger proportion of funding," Mr Raw said.
Catholic and independent sectors said time would tell how the implementation would affect individual schools but they welcomed the report in general.
Liberal education spokesman Michael Ferguson said the world's best performing education systems were not the biggest spenders.
"It is their strong focus on teaching and learning, as well as what happens in the classroom, that sets them apart," he said.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown urged the use of the mining tax to give the extra funding.
"Australia is in the midst of a mining boom. We can afford to prioritise the education of our children with properly applied proceeds from the mining tax," Senator Brown said.
"In contrast, an Abbott-led government would cut $2.8 billion in funding."
Australia spent only 3 per cent of GDP on education, below the OECD average of 3.5 per cent, with high performing Iceland and Norway about 5 per cent.
"Just to reach the OECD average, Australia needs s further $7 billion a year," Senator Brown said.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Boost funding by $5 billion-plus, with three quarters of that going to public schools because they have more disadvantaged students.
Fund schools based on student need, meaning more for Tasmanian schools.
Assess private school parents' capacity to contribute.
Ramp up support to schools with highly disadvantaged students.
Make government and non-government schools publicly accountable.
Focus on early intervention.
Develop a new funding model with states.
Roll out all changes for 2014.
A new schooling resource standard to determine funding for all school sectors.
School Planning Authorities to co-ordinate new school building and expansions.
A new independent national body to oversee schooling resource standards for funding.
HOW THE SCHOOLING RESOURCE STANDARD FOR FUNDING WOULD WORK:
Set separate per student dollar amounts for primary and secondary students.
Indicative estimate of $8000 per primary student.
Indicative estimate of $10,500 per secondary student.
Loadings for extra cost of meeting certain education needs, including those of indigenous students, those with a disability or from poor or other disadvantaged backgrounds.
Public schools to be fully publicly funded to the standard.
For non-government schools, there would be a minimum public contribution per student of 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the standard.
Reviewed every four years and indexed in between.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/02/21/302821_tasmania-news.html
Thirty years after the last look at school funding, the exhaustive report by a panel chaired by businessman David Gonski was released yesterday along with a response from the Federal Government.
Neither Prime Minister Julia Gillard or Federal Education Minister Peter would make a commitment on funding, warning about sticking to budget surplus, and said they would now consult widely.
But the review's message was clear:
Australian education standards are fast slipping below other wealthy countries.
Students from poorer families have been hit hardest in resources and results under the present funding system.
Schools have not been transparent about wealth and spending.
Tasmania has a higher proportion of disadvantaged children.
Public schools have been losing high-performing children to non-government schools, worsening the gap.
Funding is not the only answer, with a culture change needed.
Mr Gonski said the recommendations must be implemented after Australia plummeted from third to 13th in the world in maths.
"This is the only way we can ensure our children and young people receive an excellent education in schools that are funded appropriately, regardless of sector and jurisdiction," Mr Gonski said yesterday.
The cost was estimated at $5 billion if put in place in 2009.
Tasmania has a higher proportion of children in public schools, and the review recommended about three-quarters of the extra money go to those, while disadvantaged students also needed more funds, the review found.
The report urges the setting up of a School Resource Standard to determine funding.
That was based on a standard of competence in NAPLAN results set by higher-performing schools and what spending was needed to achieve that.
Tasmanian Education Minister Nick McKim said he would work constructively with other states and the Commonwealth to nut out a funding plan.
"I welcome any funding model that puts more money into state schools and helps disadvantaged students," he said.
Almost 70 per cent of students in Tasmania attend government schools.
It has 20 per cent in Catholic schools, the national average, but only 11 per cent of children attend independent schools, compared with 14 per cent interstate.
Private enrolments had soared interstate, the report showed, and that would have happened here if more people could afford it, some public school leaders said.
Tasmanian Principals Association president David Raw said he was excited at the potential offered by the report, and welcomed acknowledgement that public schools with children from disadvantaged backgrounds had been doing it tough.
"It's a bit of a watershed for Tasmanian government education, because it shows Tasmania ought to be attracting a bigger proportion of funding," Mr Raw said.
Catholic and independent sectors said time would tell how the implementation would affect individual schools but they welcomed the report in general.
Liberal education spokesman Michael Ferguson said the world's best performing education systems were not the biggest spenders.
"It is their strong focus on teaching and learning, as well as what happens in the classroom, that sets them apart," he said.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown urged the use of the mining tax to give the extra funding.
"Australia is in the midst of a mining boom. We can afford to prioritise the education of our children with properly applied proceeds from the mining tax," Senator Brown said.
"In contrast, an Abbott-led government would cut $2.8 billion in funding."
Australia spent only 3 per cent of GDP on education, below the OECD average of 3.5 per cent, with high performing Iceland and Norway about 5 per cent.
"Just to reach the OECD average, Australia needs s further $7 billion a year," Senator Brown said.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Boost funding by $5 billion-plus, with three quarters of that going to public schools because they have more disadvantaged students.
Fund schools based on student need, meaning more for Tasmanian schools.
Assess private school parents' capacity to contribute.
Ramp up support to schools with highly disadvantaged students.
Make government and non-government schools publicly accountable.
Focus on early intervention.
Develop a new funding model with states.
Roll out all changes for 2014.
A new schooling resource standard to determine funding for all school sectors.
School Planning Authorities to co-ordinate new school building and expansions.
A new independent national body to oversee schooling resource standards for funding.
HOW THE SCHOOLING RESOURCE STANDARD FOR FUNDING WOULD WORK:
Set separate per student dollar amounts for primary and secondary students.
Indicative estimate of $8000 per primary student.
Indicative estimate of $10,500 per secondary student.
Loadings for extra cost of meeting certain education needs, including those of indigenous students, those with a disability or from poor or other disadvantaged backgrounds.
Public schools to be fully publicly funded to the standard.
For non-government schools, there would be a minimum public contribution per student of 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the standard.
Reviewed every four years and indexed in between.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/02/21/302821_tasmania-news.html
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