EDUCATION S CONTRIBUTION TO TASMANIA PRESENTATION TO THE AEU

EDUCATION’S CONTRIBUTION TO TASMANIA PRESENTATION TO THE AEU BRANCH COUNCIL Secretary Department of Education Jenny Gale

The importance of improving education outcomes in Tasmania • A strong education is key to equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed in life. • Completing more years of education is associated with a range of social, health and economic benefits for both individuals and communities. • Improving educational outcomes is vital to Tasmania’s social and economic prosperity.

Heckman’s Equation Source: http: //heckmanequation. org/heckmanequation

International research tells us why quality education is so important The message of The Early Years Study was clear if we truly wish to provide our children with an equal opportunity to maximize their potential, whatever that might be, it is vital that we do everything we can to enhance their early development. (The Early Years Study, Putting Science into Action, 2007 by Margaret Mc. Cain and Fraser Mustard) Skills have become the global currency of the 21 st Century…Skills transform lives and drive economies. Skills affect people’s lives and the well-being of nations in ways that go beyond what can be measured by labour-market earnings and economic growth. (Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives: A Strategic Approach to Skills Policies, 2012, OECD Publishing) A growing body of work suggests that education offers a wide-range of benefits that extend beyond increases in labour market productivity…Education has been shown to reduce crime, improve health, lower mortality, and increase political participation. The social benefits from these impacts can be sizeable. (Non-Production Benefits of Education: Crime, Health and Good Citizenship, 2011 by Lance Lochner, National Bureau of Economic Research)

01 -003 Human Brain Development – Language and Cognition Language Sensing Pathways (vision, hearing) Conception -6 -3 0 3 6 9 Higher Cognitive Function 1 Months 4 8 12 16 Years AGE C. Nelson, in From Neurons to Neighborhoods, 2000.

Tasmania has the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage of any state or territory and almost twice the levels of Australia overall… • the lowest Gross State Product per capita of any state or territory • lower productivity than Australia as a whole, with the gap widening over the past 20 years • lowest average wages • lowest labour market participation • below average life expectancy at birth for both males and females • poor health outcomes Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Part of the explanation is the relatively small share of Tasmania’s adult population with skills Adult population share with post-school qualifications, 25 to 64 years 7

Income in Tasmania is linked to years of schooling Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Table Builder files 8

We’ve struggled with retention rates Year 10 to 12 retention rates - 2014 9

We’ve struggled with our numbers of students completing year 12 (or equivalent) or Certificate III or above Percentage of 20 -24 year olds, 2015

Community aspiration Mobility Connections 7 -12 Pathways Efficient system Dispersed population Blended learning Attendance 26 TEN High standards (incl. 11/12 curriculum and structure) L&N specialists Sectoral collaboration Industry Links/ Partnerships Family attitudes to education and training Parental Schools as engagement hubs Community Partnerships (extra curricular) Preparation/skill sets for Pathways (Vocational Education/ Higher Education/work Quality education system Birth-Adult Community support Workforce participation Joined up approaches School cultural (health, education, and social capital children’s services) Justice system Early learning Aspiration (Li. L, LIFT) Self-concept Socio-economic status (plans, aspirations and expectations) Reduce family violence Parental support Transport TTC LINC My Education Career information and aspiration Quality leadership Extra curricular Health outcomes Housing (drug-ed, mental health) Parental support School and engagement nurses OUTCOMES More Tasmanians staying in education and training longer and achieving more Supportive School culture Self-concept High expectations Meeting the needs of all learners Quality teaching CFCs Mutual respect Student engagement and aspiration Understanding of Learning needs Student enjoyment Student voice Maternal education Quality teaching and teacher influence Quality classroom Interactions (teachers and students)

We know what makes a difference… • Quality teaching and strong educational leadership • Shifting attitudes to valuing education • Attendance and participation • Measurement and data • Parent and community partnerships 12

What are we doing to address the factors… Quality teaching and strong educational leadership Shifting attitudes to value education Attendance and participation Measurement and data Priorities Parent and community partnerships Literacy and numeracy Retention and attainment • Developing our Workforce Strategy • Review of literacy teacher training and practice (new budget initiative) • STEM Implementation (new budget initiative) • Reviewing the Tasmanian Education Act to set high standards and expectations for education and training • Reviewing the Education Act and changing the compulsory years of education and training • Years 9 to 12 Review (new budget initiative) • edi – a powerful tool for teachers and school leaders • B 4 Early Years Coalition • Child and Family Centres; Li. L and LIFT programs • Family Partnership Model Program - PLI • Employing 25 literacy and numeracy specialists • Funding 80 schools to deliver LIFT • Literacy and numeracy support initiative (new budget initiative) • Extending regional high schools to years 11 and 12 • Learning for life and School Community Hubs (new budget initiative)

Additional Gonski Funding 2015 -16 Budget Additional Students First Allocation Description $5 m LIFT- supporting parents in the 80 schools of highest need so they can positively influence and support their child’s learning, particularly in early literacy and numeracy skills. $1 m Additional funding for students with disabilities Approximately $4 m - dependent on enrolment numbers and student profile Minimum 5% Fairer Funding Model (FFM) component for School Resource Packages Approximately $11 m – adjusted staffing formula with schools advised of interim allocations for the 2016 school year. Two adjustments to school staffing: 1. Addressing the imbalance of sectoral weightings, particularly in school leadership in primary schools. 2. Further refinement to the FFM staff allocations based on student need.

Additional Gonski Funding 2016 -17 Budget Additional Students First Allocation Description $3 m Disability Taskforce Approximately $2. 4 m dependent on enrolment numbers and student profile Minimum 3% Fairer Funding Model (FFM) component for School Resource Packages $1. 7 m $250, 000 Literacy and Numeracy Support Science, Technology, , Engineering and Mathematics Programs $1. 5 m Combatting Bullying $260, 000 Aboriginal Curriculum $500, 000 Student Health Initiative

Importance of Education Reform • Reform is not only necessary, it is essential in order to ensure that our students are equipped with the knowledge and skills for the twenty-first century. • We can’t expect different results by doing the same thing.

We have begun the process… Education Act Review • Education Act sets the legal framework for K-12 education in Tasmania. • The Review sought to ensure that this legislative framework: • supports our education system to provide the best possible outcomes for all learners • is contemporary, clear, cohesive • provides for greater national consistency where this increases social and economic opportunities for Tasmanians, while responding to local needs and circumstances • supports Tasmania’s educational, social and economic prosperity.

Expected benefits of key reforms under proposed legislation Lower school starting age (and lower Kindergarten starting age) i. Establishes high standards and expectations in the Tasmanian community that education is from Kindergarten to Year 12 or equivalent ii. Earlier universal access to quality early learning and development experiences for all children iii. Increased participation in, and completion of, Year 12 or equivalent iv. Social, health and economic benefits for individuals and communities Increase minimum leaving age to the end of Year 12 or equivalent or 18 years v. Greater alignment between school starting ages in Tasmania and other states and territories

We know that legislation alone won’t solve the challenges we face. But it is the foundation and sets the standards and expectations for education. We need to continue to build on partnerships externally and internally to achieve positive outcomes for Tasmania’s children and young people.