Government
Media
Statement

DAVID BARTLETT

Premier and Minister for Education and Skills

and

JULIA GILLARD

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education

Premier and Minister for Education and Skills, David Bartlett today released the most comprehensive set of educational performance data in Australia.

Releasing the data with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, Mr Bartlett said School Improvement Reports for all Tasmanian Government schools would be published online from today.

“I’m committed to my Government being open, accountable and transparent and this extends to our Government schools,” Mr Bartlett said.

“The reports measure each school’s performance in the Government’s priority areas of early years, literacy and numeracy, student participation, school improvement and equity of outcomes.

“Categories include readiness for school, early literacy and numeracy, student and staff attendance, staff, student and parent satisfaction and outcomes for indigenous students.

Ms Gillard said the Rudd Labor Government was working collaboratively with State and Territory Governments to ensure school transparency is a national priority.

“The Education Revolution is about making sure that every school is a great school so we need quality information to tell us which ones need additional assistance,” Ms Gillard said.

“Transparency measures like those being adopted here in Tasmania will provide better information to parents, teachers and policy makers.

“The Tasmanian Government has been the first to take this important agenda forward and it is to be applauded,” Ms Gillard said.

Mr Bartlett said the information provided was for individual school improvement during 2007 and will be updated for each year, with an earlier release in the future.

“This is not about ranking schools or creating league tables.

“It’s about parents having the opportunity, for the first time, to be able to see how their school is performing, where its strengths lie and where there is room for improvement.”

Mr Bartlett said the level of detail in the data was unprecedented.

“While some other states have released similar data, Tasmania is the only state to include ratings so that we can measure whether or not the standards achieved and trends over time are acceptable.

“All these standards are nationally benchmarked or compared with researched findings.

“Education is a partnership involving parents, schools and the wider community. To work together effectively we need to know where we are currently doing well and where we can focus on doing better for our young people.

“By identifying areas where we can do more for our schools, we can improve our focus and direct resources to areas where there is most need.

“Schools fulfil many functions in the development of young Tasmanians and these reports will allow the community to see the great achievements and efforts being made to continually improve Tasmanian government schools in key government priority areas,” Mr Bartlett said.

School Improvement Reports can be accessed by visiting the Department of Education website at www.education.tas.gov.au and clicking on Latest News.