SCHOOLS in the federal electorate of Wright are set to benefit through the Turnbull Government’s $73.6 billion student achievement plan.
The Turnbull Government has committed to the most significant package of education quality reforms in a generation to drive excellence in Australia’s school students.
An additional $1.2 billion from 2018 to 2020 will be tied to a needs-based distribution of funding and reforms in our schools to help every parent have confidence that their child is receiving the teaching they require.
Federal Member for Wright Scott Buchholz said while the additional funding was important, what was more important to the children of Wright was the quality and evidence-based measures the student achievement plan focused on.
“The Turnbull Government’s additional money is focused on initiatives that are proven to lift student performance and results. We know that while a strong level of funding support for each student matters, what you do with that funding matters more,” he said.
“That’s why we are saying to every mum and dad in Wright that for our children to get ahead, we must focus on what matters most – evidence-based initiatives that make a difference to student achievement.
“The Turnbull Government’s student achievement plan will improve student outcomes in literacy, numeracy, STEM subjects, teacher quality and engagement with our international neighbours.”
The Turnbull Government’s student achievement plan includes reforms to:
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Have minimum proportions of trainee teachers specialise in literacy and numeracy.
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Use explicit literacy and numeracy instruction in all schools.
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Undertake a standardised Year 1 school assessment of students’ reading, phonics and numeracy skills to ensure the earliest possible interventions occur for students who need additional help.
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Provide annual reports to parents that identify literacy and numeracy attainment against national standards that will help monitor progress and identify problems.
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Set a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy skills for Year 12 school leavers.
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Ensure that, within a decade, students complete an English or humanities subject and a maths or science subject prior to attaining an ATAR.
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Set recruitment targets for teachers qualified in science, technology and engineering or mathematics subjects.
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Ensure all principals are certified before their appointment.
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Linking teacher salary progression to demonstrated competency and achievement against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, rather than just length of service.
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Requiring graduate teachers to achieve registration at the Proficient Level of the Professional Standards within three years.
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Incentivising high-performing teachers to work in disadvantaged schools.
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Expanding the Early Learning Languages Australia programme into the early years of schooling.
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Pursue school access and immigration reforms to fast track availability of teachers in key foreign languages.
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Improving career advice by working with industry and schools to develop a new National Career Education Strategy.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the Turnbull Government would also give Wright mums and dads more transparency about where funding is going and how effectively it is being used.
“While Bill Shorten has promised more money for schools, Labor is ignoring the decades of significant funding growth yet declining performance. For all Labor knows, their extra funding will be used to build a second or third sports shed or pretty up a school gate rather than addressing the generational deficiencies of our schooling system,” he said.
“The Turnbull Government knows that every tax dollar paid by hardworking Australians needs to be used as effectively as possible and our school reforms will seek to ensure this occurs in our schools so that students receive the quality outcomes they need to secure jobs in our new economy.”
For more information visit www.education.gov.au/funding-schools
