Same schools, different rules

as posted here

SCHOOLS with comparable literacy and numeracy rates teaching similar groups of students are treated differently under the $540 million partnership between the federal, state and territory governments intended to improve pupils' skills.

Even being in the same town with similar student test results does not ensure schools are selected for the crisis funding package, which is distributed by the state and territory governments and school sectors.

At Queensland's Bundaberg Central State School, more than half the students -- up to 60 per cent in Year 7 -- perform at or below minimum benchmarks on national literacy and numeracy tests, yet it received no funding.

But Bundaberg North State School, where up to 45 per cent of Year 5 students struggle in reading, and Avoca State School, also in Bundaberg, which has slightly better results, both got money.

ICSEA (index of community socio-educational advantage), the measure of social and educational disadvantaged used on the My School website, is lower for Bundaberg Central at 913 than for Bundaberg North at 935 or Avoca at 974.

Similarly, at Queens Park Primary School in Perth, more than half the students are at or below benchmark -- and as many as 80 per cent in some years -- but it received no funding, while south of Perth, Maddington Primary School with similar results was granted extra funding. The ICSEA measure for Queens Park is 890, while Maddington's is 902.

In the Northern Territory, Bakewell Primary School in Palmerston, where 30-40 per cent of students are at or below the benchmarks, received no funding while Braitling Primary School in Alice Springs, with a similar proportion of struggling students, is included in the literacy and numeracy partnership.

Education Minister Julia Gillard said the bulk of the funding, $350m, was reserved for reward payments to states and school sectors and would be paid on their ability to improve the literacy and numeracy results in their schools.

"The Rudd government is rightly proud of doubling the funding to schools," she said. "This government is putting more money into school education than ever before."

NT Education Minister Chris Burns said the partnership funding would work in tandem with education programs and increasing school attendance as well as more housing, health and early childhood development programs to help boost results.

And Education Queensland regional director for the north coast Greg Peach said Bundaberg Central was receiving additional support to improve its literacy and numeracy results.


as posted here