The Directorate participated in two Legislative Assembly Committee inquiries that were completed during the reporting year.
Table C4.1: Reports tabled in the Legislative Assembly
| Committee | Report Title | Dated Tabled |
|---|---|---|
| Standing Committee on Education and Youth Affairs | Report on Annual and Financial Reports 2011-12 | 16 May 2013 |
| Select Committee on Estimates 2013-14 | Report on inquiry into the Appropriation Bill 2013-14 | 6 August 2013 |
Report on Annual and Financial Reports 2011-12
The Annual and Financial Reports of all ACT Government agencies are referred to the Standing Committees of the ACT Legislative Assembly for examination and report.
The Report on Annual and Financial Reports 2011-12 made nine recommendations.
The Directorate had responsibility for five.
The ACT Government response was tabled on 19 September 2013.
Details of the Education and Training Directorate related recommendations, the ACT Government response and implementation are provided in the table below.
Table C4.2: Implementation status of Standing Committee on Education and Youth Affairs: Report on Annual and Financial Reports 2011-12
| Recommendation | Response | Implementation status/outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 4. The Committee recommends that the Education and Training Directorate annual report provides detail of current and planned programs and services to students requiring special support and assistance, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students with special needs. | Agreed in principle | The Directorate will consider additional information that can be made available including updates on key focus areas for students requiring special support and assistance. |
| 5. The Committee recommends that the Education and Training Directorate annual reports detailed annual reviews of the outcomes of its professional development and career planning for teachers in the ACT, in particular the results of more recent planning and professional development and career planning changes affecting pre-school teachers. | Noted | The Directorate's Workforce Capability Group has developed Workforce Capability Statements for each of the employee cohorts to guide the planning of professional learning and career pathways for all staff. Teachers and school leaders are now able to use the Teacher Quality Institute's portal to record professional learning as it is completed. This information supports supervisors in ensuring that Professional Learning requirements are met and that Professional Learning is targeted to the development needs of teachers. |
| 6. The Committee recommends that the Education and Training Directorate work to improve the communications between the Education and Training Directorate and the disability related services area of ACT Health in order to deliver more integrated service for special needs students in all special needs schools in the ACT. | Agreed | The Directorate is working with the Health Directorate to develop a nurse-led service model that will support students with complex and invasive medical needs when they attend school. Contemporary national and international models of service have been researched and a proposed model was developed during 2012. Community consultations regarding the proposed nurse-led service model were undertaken through four community forums in early November 2012. A pilot using this model is ongoing in mainstream and specialist schools and will be evaluated by ACT Health in 2014. The evaluation data will be used to refine and improve the program. Upon completion of the evaluation, the Healthcare Access at School (HAAS) program is anticipated to be available to all students across ACT public schools who meet the HAAS criteria. |
| 7. The Committee recommends that fulltime nursing care be provided on an equal and permanent basis across all the special schools in the ACT. | Not agreed | The Directorate is working with the Health Directorate to develop a nurse-led service model that will support students with complex and invasive medical needs when they attend school. Contemporary national and international models of service have been researched and a proposed model was developed during 2012. Community consultations regarding the proposed nurse-led service model were undertaken through four community forums in early November 2012. A pilot using this model is ongoing in mainstream and specialist schools and will be evaluated by ACT Health in 2014. The evaluation data will be used to refine and improve the program. Upon completion of the evaluation, the HAAS program is anticipated to be available to all students across ACT public schools who meet the HAAS criteria. |
| 8. The Committee recommends that the Education and Training Directorate work more closely with Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) and ACT Policing through the Safe Schools Taskforce on issues affecting students' safety at and around ACT schools and report more detail on its work in its next and following annual reports. | Noted | The Directorate works with ACT Policing, TAMS and school communities on school and student safety issues such as school traffic, intruders and vandalism. The Safe Schools Taskforce ceased operation in August 2012. |
Report on inquiry into the Appropriation Bill 2013-14
The Select Committee on Estimates 2013-2014 examined the expenditure proposals contained in the Appropriation Bill 2013-2014 and the Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2013-14 as well as any revenue estimates proposed by the ACT Government in the 2013-14 Budget.
The Select Committee's Report made 151 recommendations. The Directorate had responsibility for 22.
The ACT Government response was tabled on 13 August 2013, and agreed to 28 recommendations, agreed in principle to 9 recommendations, agreed in part to 2 recommendations, noted 78 recommendations and did not agree to 34 recommendations.
Details of the Education and Training Directorate related recommendations, the ACT Government response and implementation are provided in the table below.
Table C4.3: Implementation status of Select Committee on Estimates 2013-14 Report on Inquiry into the Appropriation Bill 2013-14
| Recommendation | Response | Implementation status/outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 109. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide the Assembly with more detail as to how the National Education Reforms will be implemented at an individual school level in the ACT. | Noted | Refer to the National Education reform agreement: Australian Capital Territory Bilateral Agreement. As the funding model is rolled out this information will become publicly available. |
| 110. The Committee recommends that ACT Government should lobby to ensure a consistent approach is taken to the National Education Reform Agreement across all education sectors in the ACT. | Noted | Agreements have already been reached with all education sectors in the ACT and Commonwealth Government. Consistency across sectors is a fundamental principle of national education reform and was a key consideration in the ACT Government's decision to sign up to the reforms. |
| 111. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide the Assembly with more detail on how improvements to teacher quality and teacher training entry qualifications will be determined and the commencement of these initiatives. | Noted | The National Education Reform Agreement within the Australian Capital Territory Bilateral Agreement includes agreed initiatives, milestones and timelines for improvements for teacher quality. The agreement also includes reporting and accountability requirements. The focus of the TQI's work is to enhance teacher quality, including teacher education, using the Australian Professional Standards framework. More detailed information is provided in the Directorate's Annual Report and the TQI annexed report. |
| 112. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide the Assembly with a breakdown of full-time employee (FTE) numbers in each year's budget papers so as to better define the number of teaching positions compared with current numbers of Directorate staff. | Noted | This level of information is provided in the Directorate's Annual Reports. |
| 113. The Committee recommends that The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) provide the Assembly with an outline of the modelling that was done to determine the costs of CIT's graphic design course. | Noted | The model used to determine the price of the Diploma of Graphic Design is that of a 'fee-for-service' arrangement. Under this approach: estimates are made of all inputs to provide a product suitable for the market; student demand at certain price levels are estimated; and price relativities with competitors are considered. This is the same model as most private business would use to determine pricing of their products in an open market. It should be noted that CIT has been operating in the 'fee-for-service' market to varying degrees for at least the last 20 years. |
| 115. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government set and publish strategic and accountability indicators for the Higher Education Portfolio. | Not agreed | Where ACT Government Directorates provide specific financial support to higher education institutions these projects are reported in the annual budget papers. |
| 116. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide and detail proposed arrangements to the Assembly on ensuring the impact of any overlap between portfolios and programs in the ACT higher education sector between the Higher Education Portfolio, the Education Portfolio and the Economic Development Portfolio is minimised. | Noted | Arrangements are in place to coordinate and align activity across the ACT Government. This is consistent with management of across government approaches in other areas and includes a coordination role by Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate and ongoing communication and collaboration across Directorates. |
| 117. The Committee recommends that the Minister for Higher Education report to the Assembly every six months on the progress of and outcomes achieved by the Higher Education Portfolio. | Noted | In addition to information provided in Directorate Annual Reports, the Minister for Higher Education will report to the Assembly on the Higher Education portfolio on a needs basis. |
119. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate funding ICT adequately to ensure:
| Noted | The ACT is the first jurisdiction to fully centralise the provision of ICT services for schools through the implementation of the SchoolsNET program. This was initiated to remove the majority of ICT infrastructure planning, maintenance and support from schools and ensure greater equity and reliability of access across and between ACT public schools. The ACT provides more centralised support for ICT services in schools than any other jurisdiction in the country and has the fastest internet speeds of any jurisdiction with gigabit fibre access to our schools. |
| 120. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government examine the need for additional English as an Additional Language or Dialect programs in ACT schools. | Noted | The Directorate continues to monitor the demand for and participation of students in specialist Introductory English Centre programs to ensure access for students with identified need. The ACT Government remains committed to providing access to intensive English language programs and is undertaking capital works to provide a permanent facility for the Introductory English Centre Program at Wanniassa Hills Primary School. Building is expected to be completed for the start of term 2, 2015. |
| 121. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate funding English as an Additional Language or Dialect education to bring all students up to the level of 4.0 English proficiency. | Noted | Within the National Education Reform Agreement: ACT Bilateral Agreement the ACT has committed to further development of the ACT needs based funding model over the period of the agreement. ACT Government schools will transition to a new needs based funding model from the 2015 school year. Funding arrangements for English as an Additional Language or Dialect students will be a component of the transitional process. |
| 122. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government review ACT public schools facilities and provide a statement to the Assembly on the conditions of schools and the status of capital investment. | Noted | The ACT Government currently issues annually the updated Infrastructure Plan that includes educational and childcare facilities. The Directorate currently has a Condition Assessment Report prepared for each school on a rolling three year program. The Report addresses the Building Code of Australia compliance, workplace health and safety issues, and base line operational issues. A copy of the report is issued to the school and is used by the Directorate to form the Repairs and Maintenance program each year. |
| 123. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government honour their election commitment to fund the promised $70 million for upgrades and maintenance of ACT Government education facilities. | Noted | The ACT Government continues to invest in the upgrade, maintenance and development of school infrastructure. |
| 125. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide details to the Assembly about whether the $6.2 million in savings from the Education and Training Directorate will be job losses or efficiency dividends, and provide the status of that in the 2013-14 ACT budget. | Noted | The savings represent less than 1% of the Directorate's Budget. They are in line with previous efficiency dividends that have been implemented without adversely impacting service delivery. The Directorate has previously managed financial operations within the allocated resources and anticipates to operate within the 2013-14 Budget. |
| 126. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government conduct a review of funding for the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) with attention to whether funding is appropriate to ensure quality of education and to attract and retain the required number of quality teachers from the various industries. | Noted | Funding for CIT, like all agencies is considered annually as part of the ACT Budget process. |
| 130. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government detail the programs and resources that are currently being provided to gifted and talented education. | Noted | In February 2014 the Minister for Education and Training, Ms Joy Burch MLA, launched the Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2014. In addition the Gifted and Talented Student Policy Parent Fact Sheets were released in April 2014. The policy and fact sheets were developed in consultation with key stakeholders to assist parents and carers to understand the aims of the policy and the role of ACT public schools in supporting children to reach their full potential. School principals through the school board are responsible for developing and communicating the processes to parents, students, community members and relevant professionals for identifying and meeting the needs of all gifted and talented students in the school and ensure that the information is available upon request on the school website. |
| 131. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate options to establish gifted and talented education program hubs throughout the ACT community. | Agreed | Through the Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2014, the Directorate is committed to ensuring that the needs of gifted and talented students are catered for in all ACT public schools in order for them to reach their educational potential. Schools are required to provide information via the school website about identifying and meeting the needs of gifted and talented students in the school. |
| 132. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develop a publicly accessible database of schools that provide gifted and talented children education programs and resources. | Noted | The Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2014 details that school principals through the school board are responsible for developing and communicating the processes to parents, students, community members and relevant professionals for identifying and meeting the needs of all gifted and talented students in the school and ensure that the information is available upon request on the school website. |
| 133. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government look at "tools on the market" that identify students that might benefit from a gifted and talented program. | Agreed | An accompanying flowchart is included with the Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2014 and provides advice on the identification process for gifted and talented students. |
| 134. The Committee recommends the ACT Government looks at options for acceleration of gifted and talented students. | Agreed | Whole-grade or subject acceleration has been included as a suitable provision to meet the needs of gifted and talented students within the Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2014. |
| 135. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government engage with the University of Canberra and the Australian Catholic University to develop an undergraduate subject on gifted and talented student education. | Noted | The Australian Catholic University and University of Canberra deliver teacher training courses that are aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. |
| 136. The Committee recommends that the ACT Government provide an explanation on the allocation of $318,000 in the Budget for the Preschool Matters program rather than the $400,000 initially promised. | Noted | The program has a half year effect in 2013-14. |
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