What's newConsultation on draft senior secondary Australian Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science and HistoryACARA is inviting comment on the draft senior secondary Australian Curriculum for English, Mathematics, Science and History until 20 July 2012. To provide feedback, please register onto the Australian Curriculum consultation website to complete the online questionnaire. It is possible to download a printable version of the draft senior secondary Australian Curriculum, and to download and print a copy of the questionnaire. Respondents also have the option to provide additional detailed written comments. Australian Taxation Office to launch online education resourceThe Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will soon launch Tax, super + you – an engaging way for senior secondary students to learn about the Australian tax and super systems. Its four modules cover tax basics, personal tax, business tax and superannuation. High Court ruling on Chaplaincy program: commentaryThe High Court has upheld a challenge to the National School Chaplaincy Program. See statement in response from Australian Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett, 21 June 2012. Peter Garrett and the Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, held a press conference commenting on the decision: see transcript 21 June. See also editorial 22 June in The Sydney Morning Herald, editorial 21 June in The Canberra Times, various reports 20 June on ABC News and comment 20 June 2012 on The Conversation website. Victorian Government releases discussion paper on teaching reformThe Victorian Government has launched a discussion paper, New Directions for School Leadership and the Teaching Profession, addressed to how best to improve the quality and status of teaching and school leadership. See also report on ABC News 22 June and article in The Age 21 June 2012. Discussion of teacher quality in NSW and QueenslandDiscussion has continued over the last fortnight around evaluation of and planning for teacher quality in NSW and in Queensland. See article in The Courier-Mail 12 June and commentary in the Telegraph 20 June 2012. NSW education budgetThe NSW Government has increased funding for education, training and early childhood education by $383 million to $13.83 billion in the 2012–13 state budget. The proportion of total government expenses spent on education will increase from 22 per cent in 2011–12 to 22.4 per cent this year. See article in The Sydney Morning Herald and comment in the Telegraph, both 13 June 2012. Local Schools, Local Decision trial in NSWMany NSW schools given greater autonomy as part of a trial run by the NSW Education Department have suffered falling enrolments, according to an article in The Sydney Morning Herald 19 June 2012. Further discussion of DEC staffing changes in NSWAn article in the Telegraph 6 June 2012 comments on staffing changes in the NSW Department of Education and Communities, and implications for the state's public schools. Queensland public schools offered incentive to move to independent statusThe Queensland Minister for Education, John-Paul Langbroek, has announced that 30 government schools will become Independent Public Schools next year. Independent Public Schools receive $50,000 as a transitional grant to assist in the change, with a further $50,000 in funding each year for administrative purposes. ALIA, ASLA and AEU urge support for school libraries and teacher librariansThe Australian Library and Information Association, the Australian School Library Association and the Australian Education Union have issued a joint statement highlighting the contribution to student learning made by school libraries and qualified teacher librarians. The statement also expresses concern that 'library services have been seriously affected by budget constraints and changing funding and staffing policies and practices. This has undermined the capacity and quality of library services provided by schools; library staffing, resources, services, equipment and facilities.' Further discussion of education reforms in New ZealandNew Zealand Education Minister, Hekia Parata, has emphasised that the Government remains firmly focused on raising achievement for all learners through quality teaching. See also statement from the New Zealand Principals' Federation 8 June 2012. Follow CL journal on TwitterFor news updates between editions of the journal follow Curriculum Leadership on Twitter. |