How schools are funded by the Federal government is often misunderstood and/or misrepresented. Did you know...
· More than 1 in 5 children attend Catholic schools.
· Catholic schools have been educating Australian children for over 180 years.
· Funding for Catholic schools comes from the Australian and State governments and parents and parishes.
· When funding from all government sources is taken into consideration, Catholic school students receive considerably less government funding than students in government schools.
· The gap in funding is made up by parents and parishes through fees and levies.
· All Australian children deserve an equitable share of government funds to support their education.
The Council of Catholic School Parents' Election Issues Booklet can be downloaded here: www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au
Education Funding
An interesting article "School Needs Matter Most" written by Jack Keating, Professorial Fellow in Education at the University of Melbourne, was published in The Age on 28 February.
Jack Keating observes that "Since the Whitlam government released its Karmel report in 1975 and made substantial levels of funding available to non-government schools there has been a steady drift from government to non-government schools...." He continues that the debate about the continuing funding of non-Government schools and their increasing share of the student population "has crippled any capacity for rational policy on these issues at the national and state levels.
Ownership of the schools should not matter as long as students have reasonable access to schools that will deliver a good quality education within a curriculum that meets public expectations." He gives the example of "the Netherlands and Belgium, both of which have strong public systems, have a majority of their schools enrolments in publicly funded church schools."
Keating's observations regarding the Catholic education sector are interesting. He says: "The largest element of the non-government sector, Catholic schools, is relatively stable in its enrolment share, which is distributed fairly evenly across all income groups. The sector looks like, and to a large extent behaves like, a public sector, being mostly publicly funded, delivering the public curriculum and charging mostly low fees, and in some cases no fees.
If they were added to the government school enrolments in Australia, as they are in most other OECD countries, public education market share would grow to 85 per cent."
Jack Keating argues that there is a two-fold education policy challenge. He says:
"First there is a need to jettison old notions about public and private based on the school sectors. A public system is about using public funding to deliver to the public, irrespective of the ownership of the delivery agency." And
"Second there is a need to lessen the incentives for schools to engage in selective behaviours. In a market environment this cannot be achieved through regulation. Schools need to be rewarded for taking on the biggest challenges. This requires recognition of educational need..."
It is refreshing to read an opinion piece on education policy that does not descend into the "them v's us" arguments about the share of education funding but rather attempts to direct the discussion to the provision of resources based on education need, irrespective of the provider of education services.
Jack Keating places a challenge before everyone with a genuine interest in the education in Australia.
Read the article at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/school-needs-matter-most/2007/02/27/1172338619944.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Jack Keating observes that "Since the Whitlam government released its Karmel report in 1975 and made substantial levels of funding available to non-government schools there has been a steady drift from government to non-government schools...." He continues that the debate about the continuing funding of non-Government schools and their increasing share of the student population "has crippled any capacity for rational policy on these issues at the national and state levels.
Ownership of the schools should not matter as long as students have reasonable access to schools that will deliver a good quality education within a curriculum that meets public expectations." He gives the example of "the Netherlands and Belgium, both of which have strong public systems, have a majority of their schools enrolments in publicly funded church schools."
Keating's observations regarding the Catholic education sector are interesting. He says: "The largest element of the non-government sector, Catholic schools, is relatively stable in its enrolment share, which is distributed fairly evenly across all income groups. The sector looks like, and to a large extent behaves like, a public sector, being mostly publicly funded, delivering the public curriculum and charging mostly low fees, and in some cases no fees.
If they were added to the government school enrolments in Australia, as they are in most other OECD countries, public education market share would grow to 85 per cent."
Jack Keating argues that there is a two-fold education policy challenge. He says:
"First there is a need to jettison old notions about public and private based on the school sectors. A public system is about using public funding to deliver to the public, irrespective of the ownership of the delivery agency." And
"Second there is a need to lessen the incentives for schools to engage in selective behaviours. In a market environment this cannot be achieved through regulation. Schools need to be rewarded for taking on the biggest challenges. This requires recognition of educational need..."
It is refreshing to read an opinion piece on education policy that does not descend into the "them v's us" arguments about the share of education funding but rather attempts to direct the discussion to the provision of resources based on education need, irrespective of the provider of education services.
Jack Keating places a challenge before everyone with a genuine interest in the education in Australia.
Read the article at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/school-needs-matter-most/2007/02/27/1172338619944.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Partnership in Education
In 1994 Barry Dwyer, a former teacher, principal, school counsellor, consultant, regional director and area administrator within the Catholic sector, in an address to the Parent Representative Council Conference, Diocese of Parramatta, described the relationships between parents and schools as follows:
Support - "Support your school: buy a raffle ticket!"
Involvement - "Get involved: come to meetings and help out on request!"
Participation - "Contribute to decision-making; participate in programs."
Partnership - "Join with teachers in actively determining and pursuing a common vision; take on roles and responsibilities that are complementary and clearly defined."
Are these descriptions still valid today?
If so, what is the level of your relationship with your child's school?
Given your circumstances do you consider your relationship with your child's school at a satisfactory level or could it do with a boost in effort and commitment?
Support - "Support your school: buy a raffle ticket!"
Involvement - "Get involved: come to meetings and help out on request!"
Participation - "Contribute to decision-making; participate in programs."
Partnership - "Join with teachers in actively determining and pursuing a common vision; take on roles and responsibilities that are complementary and clearly defined."
Are these descriptions still valid today?
If so, what is the level of your relationship with your child's school?
Given your circumstances do you consider your relationship with your child's school at a satisfactory level or could it do with a boost in effort and commitment?
Are Parents Too Nice
Under the heading "Two wheels good, four wheels bad" Margaret Cook writes in The Age Education Supplement of 12 February 2007 that "Only a few decades ago, about 80 per cent of children walked or cycled to school - now the figure stands at just 20 per cent."
It is claimed that one possible reason for this decline in the number of children walking or cycling to school is due to parents "wanting to be nice" - to the extent that 17 per cent of morning peak-hour traffic during the school term is children being driven to school despite most of those children living within a 2 kilometre distance.
However various factors - concerns about childhood obesity and higher petrol prices for example - are conspiring to reverse the trend.
The author then proceeds to outline a number of programs running in Victorian schools aimed at encouraging children to get "onya bike". There appears no reason why similar programs cannot operate in NSW (or Australia wide).
Now might be an opportune time to push the issue - a NSW State election is due in a few weeks!
And, with another round of Investing in our Schools Program in the wind, there may be an opportunity for school communities to obtain funds from the Federal Government for secure bike enclosures to encourage a more active student population.
Margaret Cook's article is well worth the read and may be accessed at http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/two-wheels-good-four-wheels-bad/2007/02/09/1170524304554.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
It is claimed that one possible reason for this decline in the number of children walking or cycling to school is due to parents "wanting to be nice" - to the extent that 17 per cent of morning peak-hour traffic during the school term is children being driven to school despite most of those children living within a 2 kilometre distance.
However various factors - concerns about childhood obesity and higher petrol prices for example - are conspiring to reverse the trend.
The author then proceeds to outline a number of programs running in Victorian schools aimed at encouraging children to get "onya bike". There appears no reason why similar programs cannot operate in NSW (or Australia wide).
Now might be an opportune time to push the issue - a NSW State election is due in a few weeks!
And, with another round of Investing in our Schools Program in the wind, there may be an opportunity for school communities to obtain funds from the Federal Government for secure bike enclosures to encourage a more active student population.
Margaret Cook's article is well worth the read and may be accessed at http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/two-wheels-good-four-wheels-bad/2007/02/09/1170524304554.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
My Child Started School This Year
Parents whose child commenced Prep/Kinder this year may find useful an article published in The Age Education Supplement of 12 February 2007. The article titled My child started prep this year. What should we expect and how can we support her? was prepared by Kathy Walker, an education consultant and author. It touches on issues such as stress, tiredness, after-school activities, communication and parental classroom visits.
Kathy Walker's article may be found at http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/quandary/2007/02/09/1170524304589.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Kathy Walker's article may be found at http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/quandary/2007/02/09/1170524304589.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
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If you are having trouble posting a new topic, email the CCSP at office@ccsp.catholic.edu.au with your first name or "anonymous" and the text you wish to post and it will be posted on your behalf.
Preschool Education
All the major political parties are releasing policies on early childhood education in the lead up to the elections (at State and Federal level). The federal ALP has just released its policy. Tell us what you think.
ALP policy: http://www.alp.org.au/download/now/new_directions_for_early_childhood_education.pdf
ALP policy: http://www.alp.org.au/download/now/new_directions_for_early_childhood_education.pdf
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