Isabelle Archer writes in the latest edition of Marie-Clairethat there are some children whose disabilities are so severe that without shared-care arrangements families simply fall apart. The article refers to the impending closure of Kingsdene Special School in Sydney and includes a link to a petition to keep the school open.
Latest News & News Archive
$527 million in unclaimed Education Tax Refund
The Australian Government is encouraging Australian families to keep their receipts from education related expenses so they can take advantage of the Education Tax Refund (ETR). Figures from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have revealed that only half of all eligible Australian families have lodged a claim, leaving more than $500 million in unclaimed benefits.
Canberra Times Opinion: Jury's still out on school funding
The Canberra Times on 20 July 2010 points to the misleading and incorrect claims made by Australian Education Union president Angelo Gavrielatos when he argues that any new funding formula, to be introduced post-2012, must redirect government funds from non-government to state schools.
Educational Partnerships a focus for Review of Funding for Schooling
The Australian Parents Council (APC) has commended the Australian Government's inclusion in the Terms of Reference for the Review of Funding for Schooling the consideration of the roles of families, parents, communities and other institutions in providing or supporting educational partnerships with schools.
APC welcomes Coalition focus on directly funding schools
The parents of students attending Australia’s non-government schools have welcomed the Coalition’s announcement that, if elected, it will allow schools to self manage yet to be released funding for BER projects. The executive director of the Australian Parents Council, Ian Dalton, said, “While the announcement made today by the Coalition relates to funding for BER projects in government schools, APC is heartened by the implications this announcement has for the future of funding for schooling. It is vitally important that a direct funding relationship is maintained between the Federal Government and non-government schools.
End myths on funds
In an opinion piece in The Advertiser on 8 June APC executive director, Ian Dalton, argued that if the publication of financial data on the My School website and the upcoming review of school funding are to be useful exercises, the information they are based on must be comprehensive, consistent and accurate. He claimed that the continued spreading of myths and innuendos that seek to discredit the non-government schools sector and blame it for the perceived ills of the government schools sector will serve no useful purpose.
Ditching literature is another own goal for the national curriculum team
Kenneth Wiltshire of the University of Queensland Business School has joined a growing list of critics of the emerging Australian Curriculum. In an article in The Australian on 2 June 2010 Wiltshire claimed the English curriculum is being dumbed down because of a lack of focus on literacy. He also expressed concern that there is a 'dangerous indication' that state governments will be able to determine assessment methods in english and other subjects, which he says will lead to "continued lack of uniformity and consistency in school education systems across Australia".
APC responds to Funding Review discussion paper and terms of reference
APC has provided a response to the discussion paper and terms of reference for the forthcoming review of funding for schooling. While welcoming the Review APC has suggested that the proposed scope of the review should address five key issues and has also highlighted a number of areas of concern in the draft review documentation.
Minister announces next AEDI phase
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) is used to measure five key domains of children in their first year of schooling: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills (school based) and communication skills and general knowledge. Minister for Early Childhood Education, Kate Ellis, has announced the next phase for the project - detailed community profiles.
Funding review terms of reference and panel announced
The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, has announced the draft terms of reference for the review into funding of Australian schools along with the membership of the review panel. A discussion paper has also been released, which contains the review’s draft terms of reference. The draft terms of reference will be open for comment until the end of May.
