Saturday, November 24, 2012 9:22:37 PM
Gillard and Abbott’s ‘race to the top’ to support private schools
.. the battle for public education and against the grading of schools goes on ..
[ can't copy the image here ]
The debate on schools funding has taken a strange turn with both sides
racing to increase funding to private schools. AAP Image/Alan Porritt
David Zyngier - Senior Lecturer Faculty of Education at Monash University -22 August 2012, 6.08am AEST
In a political echo of the unseemly bi-partisan “race to the bottom” over asylum seekers, we now have a “race to the top” with the prime minister and opposition leader vying to offer the most support to non-government schools.
Prime minister Julia Gillard earlier this week told a private school forum .. http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/%E2%80%9Cwe-have-chance-do-more-address-independent-schools-national-forum .. that “every independent school in Australia will see their funding increase” under the government’s new funding plan. “This plan will lift school standards, not school fees,” she said.
Abbott on the other hand told the forum .. ttp://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/private-schools-hard-done-by-says-abbott-20120820-24ita.html .. that because 66% of Australian school students who attend public schools get 79% of government funding “there is no question of injustice to public schools here. If anything, the injustice is the other way.” Abbott reached this conclusion because the 34% of students who attend independent schools get 21% of government funding.
In a backdown away from Abbott’s comments the opposition’s education spokesperson, Christopher Pyne later said .. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/coalition-backdown-on-school-funding-20120821-24kqy.html .. there was no injustice in regards to funding independent schools, saying the current level of funding for both independent and government schools is “appropriate.”
Pyne also stated publicly .. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3547117.htm .. last month that there isn’t an equity issue in Australian schools and that the problem was with student outcomes. He has also declared that any government changes to the funding model of schools would be repealed under a coalition government.
Extending privileges for the privileged
This latest unedifying part of the debate comes after 10 years of public critique of the iniquitous funding formula. A system developed by the Howard government and continued under the Rudd and Gillard governments that is blind to the real needs of students, as well as schools and teachers and sees the most disadvantaged students in our community receiving the least amount of funding.
The results of this 12 year program have only extended the privileges of the already privileged.
The fact is that the fundamental pattern for the last 12 years of Australian Government funding for schools is that while most additional funding goes to non-government schools this has never prevented private schools raising their annual fees more than 10% per annum.
Those most concerned with public education today in Australia were, until now, quietly optimistic that the unfair education funding system would be changed.
A growing chorus .. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/garrett-raises-tempo-on-school-reform/story-fn59niix-1226447947844 .. of parents, teachers, principals as well as those within the business community and charity groups (including Business Council of Australia’s Jennifer Westacott, Westpac’s Gail Kelly, ACOSS' Cassandra Goldie and the Smith Family’s CEO Lisa Ryan) all called on Julia Gillard to implement the reforms recommended by David Gonski in his review of school funding .. http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/ReviewofFunding/Documents/Review-of-Funding-for-Schooling-Final-Report-Dec-2011.pdf .
Breaking new ground
The Gonski Review sought to change an unfair system into one that was more transparent, financially sustainable and effective in promoting excellent outcomes for all students.
Gonski looked forward .. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/02/22/lesser-known-gonski-review-tackling-inequity-also-important-for-health/ .. to an education system premised on ensuring educational outcomes that were “not the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possessions”.
When the Gonski Review was released .. https://theconversation.edu.au/gonski-review-experts-respond-5452 .. earlier this year, it a was watershed moment in the debate on schools funding. It embraced the OECD definition of equity in education as its starting point; that every child should be able to achieve her potential regardless of social, cultural or economic background or their relationship to property, power or possession.
Gonski also gave overdue recognition to the fact that disadvantage has been “rusted on” to our education system. And he finally acknowledged our private schools whether independent or Catholic are not looking after our most vulnerable students.
Disadvantaging the disadvantaged
But there were weaknesses in the report. Gonski in fact understated the great weight of disadvantage shouldered by our public schools, the same who are least equipped and able to deal with this disadvantage: 85% of indigenous students, 78% of disabled students, 79% of low SES students attend our public schools.
While the rhetoric around social justice is espoused by both independent and especially
Catholic school sectors that they are looking after the poor, in reality they are not.
Research .. http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/public/staff_profile.cgi?id=1872 .. by Professor Richard Teese demonstrates this issue clearly.
The Gonski Review does not have the depth of analysis about this disadvantage but politically it may have been impossible.
False premises … flawed data
The review’s resource based funding model starts with a false premise. Since the Karmel Report 40 years ago, we have witnessed a slow but ever-increasing movement of taxpayer’s dollars from public schools to the private sector, all apparently on the basis of Commonwealth provision for school education on the principle of “need”.
The Gonski Review has accepted as holy writ the “unique Australian tradition” that if parents decide not to send their child to the local public school, then the rest of the country is required to subsidise that choice. No other OECD country has such a tradition yet Gonski said these examples don’t count.
Statistics or lies
Abbott’s claims in this debate could be a case of lies, damn lies and statistics. Just because private schools gain 21% of the education budget and represent 34% of all school students is irrelevant.
What is relevant is the total funding per student including what parents voluntarily contribute to the private school. What has happened to the “user pays” theory of liberal philosophy?
Did it go out the door for the wealthy, and only apply to those who can least afford to pay in society?
What are the facts?
Recent pronouncements .. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3547117.htm .. by opposition education spokesperson Christopher Pyne, are replete with false assumptions based on flawed data. The claim that Australian school education funding has increased by 44% since 2009 has been repeated so often that it is now accepted as truth.
The fact is that the fundamental pattern of Australian government funding for schools is that most additional funding goes to non-government schools. OECD figures tell another story.
In 2001 Australia’s education expenditure was 4.9% of GDP falling to 4.4% in 2008 before rising to 5.1% in 2009 as a result of the BER capital investment in all schools. Over the same period government education expenditure as a percentage of total government expenditure in Australia fell from 14.2% to 12.9%.
Annual government expenditure on Australian government schools was $US6980 per student, compared to the OECD average of $US7262. Australia ranked 15th of the 22 OECD countries. The difference in spending on secondary students is even lower.
Finland’s government expenditure on schools was $US7178 per student. In Finland government expenditure on education was 6.1% of GDP in 2001 rising to 6.8% in 2009.
Why $5 billion (or more) is needed …
The reason for the $5 billion price tag is because the Gillard government pledged that no school would be worse of as a result of any reform to funding schedules. But in actual fact even the $5 billion is less than one half of 1 % of GDP.
OECD research explains that any increase in student outcomes has a correlative increase in productivity – so in effect this extra funding will return as additional taxes and productivity for Australia.
But despite its weakness, the recommendations of the Gonski review remain a strong step in the right direction and should be implemented in full and as soon as possible.
Gillard and Abbott need to take the recommendations on balance, look at the facts and elevate the debate around this important policy issue.
Articles by This Author
12 September 2012 - Class warriors take on poor schools with education cuts
http://theconversation.edu.au/class-warriors-take-on-poor-schools-with-education-cuts-9512
3 September 2012 - Gillard’s ‘truths’ obscure the facts on schools funding
http://theconversation.edu.au/gillards-truths-obscure-the-facts-on-schools-funding-9226
17 August 2012 - The great curriculum debate: how should we teach civics?
http://theconversation.edu.au/the-great-curriculum-debate-how-should-we-teach-civics-7452
29 May 2012 - The great equity debate: a fair go for Australian schools
http://theconversation.edu.au/the-great-equity-debate-a-fair-go-for-australian-schools-5609
21 February 2012 Gonski review: another wasted opportunity
http://theconversation.edu.au/gonski-review-another-wasted-opportunity-5453
http://theconversation.edu.au/gillard-and-abbotts-race-to-the-top-to-support-private-schools-8942
======== .. education grading fiasco in England ..
GCSE fiasco 'leaves schools with 12 October 2012 Last updated at 02:58 GMT
By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter
Ofqual has said it will defend its decision
not to order regrading
Related Stories
Legal action nearer in GCSEs row - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19848628
Heads take GCSE battle to court - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19899309
Ofqual 'ordered late GCSE change' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19544620
This summer's English GCSE grading fiasco will render this year's school league tables invalid, and leave many schools unjustly labelled "failing", head teachers' leaders say.
ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman said a quarter of schools saw dramatic falls in the headline GCSE scores used to measure success.
It comes after grade boundaries were changed part way through the year.
Exam regulator Ofqual has refused to order regrades.
In an open letter to the chairman of the Commons Education Committee Graham Stuart, Mr Lightman said a "gross injustice" had been done to many young people.
'Profound crisis'
He said his union, the Association of School and College Leaders, which is part of a group threatening a judicial review of the grading decisions, had amassed a vast amount of feedback from schools over the past few weeks.
He warned that the series of events had led to "a profound crisis of confidence amongst school and college leaders, teachers, parents and students in our current examinations system".
He said his union's own research suggested about a quarter of secondary schools nationally saw a drop of at least 10 percentage points in the number of pupils gaining five GCSEs A* to C including English and maths.
And a further fifth saw drops of 15 percentage points.
~~~~~~~~
GCSE GRADING ROW
* Issues with GCSE English grading emerged as results reached schools in August
* Heads suggested the exams had been marked over-harshly after Ofqual told exam boards to keep an eye on grade inflation
* Exam boards told reporters grade boundaries had changed significantly mid-way through the year
* Alterations were as much as 10 marks
* Heads complained pupils who sat GCSE English in the winter would have got a higher mark than if they had sat it in the summer
* Their unions called for an investigation and some mentioned legal action
* Ofqual held a brief inquiry, and stood by the June boundaries
* Heads, teachers and local authorities are threatening a judicial review
~~~~~~~~
He added: "The schools involved are a complete cross-section including academies, 'outstanding schools', rural, inner city etc.
"The key overt distinguishing factor" was the time pupils sat certain parts of the English exam.
He told the BBC the results were "causing havoc", adding: "It's completely skewing the results of many different schools."
He said: "It renders invalid this year's performance league tables and the data that's used for the basis of the whole accountability system because they are not results that reflect trends within schools.
"It has pushed lots of schools below the floor standards."
This means that they will effectively be classed as failing by official standards.
He said that an early survey of members suggested at least 160 extra schools would fall below the target of getting 40% of pupils getting five good GCSEs including English and maths.
The Department for Education would not comment on the claims, saying the issue was a matter for exams regulator Ofqual and the exam boards.
Ofqual has already said in an interim report on the issue that the January grading was too lenient, and is standing by the harsher June grades. It is due to report more fully on the issue shortly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19911541
Source: NSWTF .. Australia .. http://www.nswtf.org.au/world/news/2012/10/16/gcse-fiasco-leaves-schools-failing-tag.html
.. the battle for public education and against the grading of schools goes on ..
[ can't copy the image here ]
The debate on schools funding has taken a strange turn with both sides
racing to increase funding to private schools. AAP Image/Alan Porritt
David Zyngier - Senior Lecturer Faculty of Education at Monash University -22 August 2012, 6.08am AEST
In a political echo of the unseemly bi-partisan “race to the bottom” over asylum seekers, we now have a “race to the top” with the prime minister and opposition leader vying to offer the most support to non-government schools.
Prime minister Julia Gillard earlier this week told a private school forum .. http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/%E2%80%9Cwe-have-chance-do-more-address-independent-schools-national-forum .. that “every independent school in Australia will see their funding increase” under the government’s new funding plan. “This plan will lift school standards, not school fees,” she said.
Abbott on the other hand told the forum .. ttp://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/private-schools-hard-done-by-says-abbott-20120820-24ita.html .. that because 66% of Australian school students who attend public schools get 79% of government funding “there is no question of injustice to public schools here. If anything, the injustice is the other way.” Abbott reached this conclusion because the 34% of students who attend independent schools get 21% of government funding.
In a backdown away from Abbott’s comments the opposition’s education spokesperson, Christopher Pyne later said .. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/coalition-backdown-on-school-funding-20120821-24kqy.html .. there was no injustice in regards to funding independent schools, saying the current level of funding for both independent and government schools is “appropriate.”
Pyne also stated publicly .. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3547117.htm .. last month that there isn’t an equity issue in Australian schools and that the problem was with student outcomes. He has also declared that any government changes to the funding model of schools would be repealed under a coalition government.
Extending privileges for the privileged
This latest unedifying part of the debate comes after 10 years of public critique of the iniquitous funding formula. A system developed by the Howard government and continued under the Rudd and Gillard governments that is blind to the real needs of students, as well as schools and teachers and sees the most disadvantaged students in our community receiving the least amount of funding.
The results of this 12 year program have only extended the privileges of the already privileged.
The fact is that the fundamental pattern for the last 12 years of Australian Government funding for schools is that while most additional funding goes to non-government schools this has never prevented private schools raising their annual fees more than 10% per annum.
Those most concerned with public education today in Australia were, until now, quietly optimistic that the unfair education funding system would be changed.
A growing chorus .. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/garrett-raises-tempo-on-school-reform/story-fn59niix-1226447947844 .. of parents, teachers, principals as well as those within the business community and charity groups (including Business Council of Australia’s Jennifer Westacott, Westpac’s Gail Kelly, ACOSS' Cassandra Goldie and the Smith Family’s CEO Lisa Ryan) all called on Julia Gillard to implement the reforms recommended by David Gonski in his review of school funding .. http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/ReviewofFunding/Documents/Review-of-Funding-for-Schooling-Final-Report-Dec-2011.pdf .
Breaking new ground
The Gonski Review sought to change an unfair system into one that was more transparent, financially sustainable and effective in promoting excellent outcomes for all students.
Gonski looked forward .. http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/02/22/lesser-known-gonski-review-tackling-inequity-also-important-for-health/ .. to an education system premised on ensuring educational outcomes that were “not the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possessions”.
When the Gonski Review was released .. https://theconversation.edu.au/gonski-review-experts-respond-5452 .. earlier this year, it a was watershed moment in the debate on schools funding. It embraced the OECD definition of equity in education as its starting point; that every child should be able to achieve her potential regardless of social, cultural or economic background or their relationship to property, power or possession.
Gonski also gave overdue recognition to the fact that disadvantage has been “rusted on” to our education system. And he finally acknowledged our private schools whether independent or Catholic are not looking after our most vulnerable students.
Disadvantaging the disadvantaged
But there were weaknesses in the report. Gonski in fact understated the great weight of disadvantage shouldered by our public schools, the same who are least equipped and able to deal with this disadvantage: 85% of indigenous students, 78% of disabled students, 79% of low SES students attend our public schools.
While the rhetoric around social justice is espoused by both independent and especially
Catholic school sectors that they are looking after the poor, in reality they are not.
Research .. http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/cgi-bin/public/staff_profile.cgi?id=1872 .. by Professor Richard Teese demonstrates this issue clearly.
The Gonski Review does not have the depth of analysis about this disadvantage but politically it may have been impossible.
False premises … flawed data
The review’s resource based funding model starts with a false premise. Since the Karmel Report 40 years ago, we have witnessed a slow but ever-increasing movement of taxpayer’s dollars from public schools to the private sector, all apparently on the basis of Commonwealth provision for school education on the principle of “need”.
The Gonski Review has accepted as holy writ the “unique Australian tradition” that if parents decide not to send their child to the local public school, then the rest of the country is required to subsidise that choice. No other OECD country has such a tradition yet Gonski said these examples don’t count.
Statistics or lies
Abbott’s claims in this debate could be a case of lies, damn lies and statistics. Just because private schools gain 21% of the education budget and represent 34% of all school students is irrelevant.
What is relevant is the total funding per student including what parents voluntarily contribute to the private school. What has happened to the “user pays” theory of liberal philosophy?
Did it go out the door for the wealthy, and only apply to those who can least afford to pay in society?
What are the facts?
Recent pronouncements .. http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3547117.htm .. by opposition education spokesperson Christopher Pyne, are replete with false assumptions based on flawed data. The claim that Australian school education funding has increased by 44% since 2009 has been repeated so often that it is now accepted as truth.
The fact is that the fundamental pattern of Australian government funding for schools is that most additional funding goes to non-government schools. OECD figures tell another story.
In 2001 Australia’s education expenditure was 4.9% of GDP falling to 4.4% in 2008 before rising to 5.1% in 2009 as a result of the BER capital investment in all schools. Over the same period government education expenditure as a percentage of total government expenditure in Australia fell from 14.2% to 12.9%.
Annual government expenditure on Australian government schools was $US6980 per student, compared to the OECD average of $US7262. Australia ranked 15th of the 22 OECD countries. The difference in spending on secondary students is even lower.
Finland’s government expenditure on schools was $US7178 per student. In Finland government expenditure on education was 6.1% of GDP in 2001 rising to 6.8% in 2009.
Why $5 billion (or more) is needed …
The reason for the $5 billion price tag is because the Gillard government pledged that no school would be worse of as a result of any reform to funding schedules. But in actual fact even the $5 billion is less than one half of 1 % of GDP.
OECD research explains that any increase in student outcomes has a correlative increase in productivity – so in effect this extra funding will return as additional taxes and productivity for Australia.
But despite its weakness, the recommendations of the Gonski review remain a strong step in the right direction and should be implemented in full and as soon as possible.
Gillard and Abbott need to take the recommendations on balance, look at the facts and elevate the debate around this important policy issue.
Articles by This Author
12 September 2012 - Class warriors take on poor schools with education cuts
http://theconversation.edu.au/class-warriors-take-on-poor-schools-with-education-cuts-9512
3 September 2012 - Gillard’s ‘truths’ obscure the facts on schools funding
http://theconversation.edu.au/gillards-truths-obscure-the-facts-on-schools-funding-9226
17 August 2012 - The great curriculum debate: how should we teach civics?
http://theconversation.edu.au/the-great-curriculum-debate-how-should-we-teach-civics-7452
29 May 2012 - The great equity debate: a fair go for Australian schools
http://theconversation.edu.au/the-great-equity-debate-a-fair-go-for-australian-schools-5609
21 February 2012 Gonski review: another wasted opportunity
http://theconversation.edu.au/gonski-review-another-wasted-opportunity-5453
http://theconversation.edu.au/gillard-and-abbotts-race-to-the-top-to-support-private-schools-8942
======== .. education grading fiasco in England ..
GCSE fiasco 'leaves schools with 12 October 2012 Last updated at 02:58 GMT
By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter
Ofqual has said it will defend its decision
not to order regrading
Related Stories
Legal action nearer in GCSEs row - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19848628
Heads take GCSE battle to court - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19899309
Ofqual 'ordered late GCSE change' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19544620
This summer's English GCSE grading fiasco will render this year's school league tables invalid, and leave many schools unjustly labelled "failing", head teachers' leaders say.
ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman said a quarter of schools saw dramatic falls in the headline GCSE scores used to measure success.
It comes after grade boundaries were changed part way through the year.
Exam regulator Ofqual has refused to order regrades.
In an open letter to the chairman of the Commons Education Committee Graham Stuart, Mr Lightman said a "gross injustice" had been done to many young people.
'Profound crisis'
He said his union, the Association of School and College Leaders, which is part of a group threatening a judicial review of the grading decisions, had amassed a vast amount of feedback from schools over the past few weeks.
He warned that the series of events had led to "a profound crisis of confidence amongst school and college leaders, teachers, parents and students in our current examinations system".
He said his union's own research suggested about a quarter of secondary schools nationally saw a drop of at least 10 percentage points in the number of pupils gaining five GCSEs A* to C including English and maths.
And a further fifth saw drops of 15 percentage points.
~~~~~~~~
GCSE GRADING ROW
* Issues with GCSE English grading emerged as results reached schools in August
* Heads suggested the exams had been marked over-harshly after Ofqual told exam boards to keep an eye on grade inflation
* Exam boards told reporters grade boundaries had changed significantly mid-way through the year
* Alterations were as much as 10 marks
* Heads complained pupils who sat GCSE English in the winter would have got a higher mark than if they had sat it in the summer
* Their unions called for an investigation and some mentioned legal action
* Ofqual held a brief inquiry, and stood by the June boundaries
* Heads, teachers and local authorities are threatening a judicial review
~~~~~~~~
He added: "The schools involved are a complete cross-section including academies, 'outstanding schools', rural, inner city etc.
"The key overt distinguishing factor" was the time pupils sat certain parts of the English exam.
He told the BBC the results were "causing havoc", adding: "It's completely skewing the results of many different schools."
He said: "It renders invalid this year's performance league tables and the data that's used for the basis of the whole accountability system because they are not results that reflect trends within schools.
"It has pushed lots of schools below the floor standards."
This means that they will effectively be classed as failing by official standards.
He said that an early survey of members suggested at least 160 extra schools would fall below the target of getting 40% of pupils getting five good GCSEs including English and maths.
The Department for Education would not comment on the claims, saying the issue was a matter for exams regulator Ofqual and the exam boards.
Ofqual has already said in an interim report on the issue that the January grading was too lenient, and is standing by the harsher June grades. It is due to report more fully on the issue shortly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19911541
Source: NSWTF .. Australia .. http://www.nswtf.org.au/world/news/2012/10/16/gcse-fiasco-leaves-schools-failing-tag.html
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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