Tasmanian Home Education Advisory Council Annual Report

Role

The role of the Tasmanian Home Education Advisory Council (THEAC) is to:

• provide policy advice and information to the Minister in relation to home education;
• be responsible for adequate monitoring of home education, and to advise on the adequacy of individual programs of home education;
• provide a reference point for inquiries regarding home education;
• respond to community concerns about home education;
• maintain liaison with other agencies on matters regarding home education; and
• organise ongoing support and assistance to home educators.

Membership

THEAC consists of six members appointed by the Minister for Education, three nominated by home educators and three nominated by the Minister for Education. The 2004 membership was:

Employees

THEAC employs a part-time administration officer and a part-time monitoring officer who provide the following tasks, as directed by the council.

• The administration officer:
• provides secretarial and support services to the council;
• maintains records and the information system;
• responds to initial inquiries about home education;
• maintains liaison with other agencies and sections of the Department of Education; and
• facilitates advice and support to home educators.

The monitoring officer:

• visits families statewide to discuss and document their education programs; and
• presents reports to council following these visits.

Office base

THEAC’s office is at 23 Canning Street, Launceston.

Charter - purpose and vision

Context

Home education occurs when parents choose to assume responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating their children’s learning program from the home base. The council has been established by the Minister for Education to assist in the management and support of home education in Tasmania. The role of THEAC is to provide policy advice and information to the Minister in relation to home education.

THEAC accepts responsibility for monitoring new and ongoing home education programs for families who have given ‘notification of home education’ and have made themselves available for the monitoring process. In addition, THEAC provides a reference point for queries, responds to community concerns, and maintains liaison with other agencies about home education. The council is not responsible for families who withdraw their children from school, or do not send their children to school and have not given notice of their intention to home educate.

Beliefs and values

THEAC members believe that:

• all children are entitled to receive an adequate and appropriate education, including students who are being home educated;
• home education is an excellent educational option for many children;
• home education should continue to be recognised and supported as a legal option for education in Tasmania;
• all matters relating to circumstances of individual home educators should be maintained in strict confidence;
• home educating parents should be free to choose from a wide variety of resources, commercial programs and curriculum materials in line with their educational values and beliefs;
• the council should not favour any particular home education program or curriculum materials;
• the council should maintain its independence from the Department of Education and from any other government agency and be responsible directly to the Minister;
• the council should not form any affiliation with non-government organisations; and
• monitoring should be unobtrusive and sensitive to differing beliefs and practices, and be undertaken in a spirit of collaboration, support and assistance.

Goals

THEAC will:

• closely apply the home education policy in relation to its work;
• maintain a non-intrusive and professional point of reference for all home education queries;
• ensure that all families registered with the council are adequately monitored in a collaborative manner according to the requirements of the home education policy;
• maintain accurate records concerning council’s business;
• maintain liaison with other agencies and professionals involved with home educators;
• respond quickly to inquiries raised about home education either in general or in relation to individual circumstances; and
• provide accurate and timely information and policy advice to the Minister, as appropriate.

Report on council activities for 2004

Meetings

The council conducted nine regular meetings during the year. The main function of the council meetings was to consider the monitoring reports relating to home educators’ programs and new applications for home education. Two workshops were also arranged, to discuss the administration and management role and function of THEAC and to review and update policies and procedures. The council maintained liaison with the Minister for Education throughout the year.

Registration and monitoring

During 2004, council received notice from parents, on behalf of 219 children, seeking registration as home educators. Together with families with ongoing home education programs, monitoring reports for 357 children from 206 families were prepared, including 20 self-reports. A total of 500 students from 278 families were registered with THEAC as at 31 December, 2004.

Policy and procedure issues

• Council reviewed its processes and procedures. A “master” manual will be produced early in 2005, available in both electronic and hard copy.
• A confidentiality statement for members was developed to be included in the proposed manual.
• Nominations from the home educating community were received for a new member in 2005. THEAC reviewed its overall membership structure and resolved to request a change of chair to take effect from early 2005, to facilitate a smooth transition of retiring and new members.
• In line with the requirements of the amended Education Act, notifications for home education of five-year olds were accepted.
• Procedures were clarified with the Department of Education to establish that part-time school/home education was not an option under the Education Act.
• In collaboration with the Department of Education and the Schools Registration Board, THEAC procedures were further clarified on the distinction between home education and “small school groups”.
• Further information and advice was sought on legal issues with separated parents and release of information.

Office and administrative procedures

• The administration officer continued to maintain administrative procedures for THEAC and support for home educators.
• The monitoring officer visited families statewide as requested by council and presented reports on these families to council for consideration. Council members assisted with the monitoring process as required.
• To address the increased demand for monitoring visits due to the increase in short-term registrations and changed council procedures, it was decided to appoint a second part-time monitoring officer in 2005, to be based in the south of the state.
• THEAC received 217 requests for its information kits during the year.
• A council member maintained the THEAC website, reviewing and updating regularly.
• The Minister’s office and District Support Services continued to be advised regularly of families who either register for or cease home education. Families are advised of this procedure when they register.
• A council member took the role of personnel manager for THEAC employees.

Monitoring policy and procedures

• The Monitoring Policy and Procedures document was reviewed.
• To address trends and issues relating to short-term registrations and increased registrations for secondary students, procedures were refined to provide for earlier first visits to new families and a second visit within twelve months for support. For families where there are reported concerns, for any reason, monitoring is carried out within two weeks of notification.
• Families were reminded that THEAC policy is that new registrations remained as “pending” until approval of their home education program by the Minister for Education.

Public and professional relations

• The council maintained liaison with various government departments, including the Department of Education and District Support Services, in carrying out its support for home educators.
• The council continued to disseminate information both within the community at large and the community of home educators throughout the state.
• Notices about home education were placed in the Back to School Supplement in regional newspapers at the beginning of the year.
• Two council members presented a lecture on home education in Tasmania and the role of THEAC to the first year Bachelor of Education students at the University Campus in Launceston.
• THEAC responded to enquiries from the Queensland Education Department requesting information on Tasmanian home education procedures and THEAC policies and guidelines.
• THEAC representatives met with personnel from the Western Australian Education Department, also requesting information on Tasmanian policies and procedures.
• An information session for intending home educators was held in Deloraine at the request of a community group.
• THEAC continued to have input to the flexible learning pilot project.
• THEAC met with the senior project officer for Pathway Planning to discuss this project.

Support for home educating families

• Many home educators continued to use resources from Distance Education to supplement their programs.
• Several home educators participated in the government schools benchmarks testing.
• Five newsletters were published for home educators over the year. These provided information updates and were used to continue a supportive liaison between the council and home educators.
• The THEAC work experience kit was reviewed and updated.
• The issue of no access for home-educated students to speech pathology in the south of the state was raised with providers.

Financial report

A financial report for the period July 2003 to June 2004 has been presented to the Minister.