The Directorate launched its Strategic Plan 2010-2013: Everyone matters in January 2010. The Strategic Plan guides the organisation, and informs its clients and stakeholders about key priorities. Specifically, the Plan identifies four priority areas: Learning and Teaching; School Environment; Student Pathways and Transitions; and Leadership and Corporate Development.
Performance indicators have been identified in each of these priority areas to allow for monitoring of progress over time.
Learning and Teaching
'To ensure students succeed through quality teaching that engages them and supports the development of capabilities for life.'
Year 12 attainment
Attainment of a year 12 or equivalent qualification is recognised as a key to better employment outcomes and social inclusion. It is a strategic target identified by the COAG for education reform in Australia.
Box A8.1: Year 12 attainment
The proportion of the 20-24 years old population having attained at least a year 12 or equivalent qualification (Australian Qualifications Framework certificate II or above) is calculated as the number of 20-24 year olds who self-identify as having attained a year 12 or equivalent qualification divided by the estimated population aged 20-24 years.
The proportion of the 20-24 years old population having attained at least a year 12 or equivalent qualification was obtained from the ABS Survey of Education and Work (SEW). The 2011 SEW was conducted in May 2011 with the results released in November 2011.
However, the measurement of this indicator at the ACT level using the SEW is to be discontinued in this report and nationally in the future due to the inability of the SEW to reliably measure change year on year at the jurisdiction level. As a result, caution is urged in the interpretation of this measure.
A data quality statement on this measure can be obtained from http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/114920/04-government-services-2012-partb.pdf
The ACT has the highest proportion of year 12 attainment in Australia. Figure A8.1 shows that for the last three years, the ACT's proportion of 20-24 year olds who attained a year 12 or equivalent qualification remained higher than the national average.
Figure A8.1: Proportion of young people aged 20-24 who have attained a Year 12 Certificate or equivalent or Certificate II or above
Source:
- ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Education and Work 2011
Year 12 completion
An alternative measure of the achievement of the population in completing a secondary school qualification is the proportion awarded a Year 12 Certificate.
Box A8.2: Year 12 completion
Year 12 completion is the number of students who meet the requirements of a Year 12 Certificate expressed as a percentage of year 12 enrolments. Data is obtained from the Board of Senior Secondary Studies and the Directorate's School Census undertaken in February.
Estimates are calculated based on the number of students completing the requirements of the ACT Year 12 Certificate divided by the number of year 12 students as at the ACT School Census, February of the reference year.
Further information on the quality of this measure can be obtained by emailing to ETDAnnualReport@act.gov.au
Figure A8.2 shows that the ACT public school completion rate for year 12 was 88 percent in 2011, an improvement from 87 percent in 2010. The implementation of the Excellence and Enterprise framework, focusing on student engagement and retention, will assist in meeting the target for year 12 completion in future years.
There is no comparative data at the national level.
Figure A8.2: Percentage of year 12 public school students who received a Year 12 Certificate
Source: ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
School Environment
'To meet each student's academic, social, emotional and physical needs by ensuring all ACT public schools provide positive and success-oriented learning environments.'
Student attendance
Attendance at school is essential for learning and for enabling students to benefit from the full range of educational programs offered at school.
Box A8.3: Student attendance
The student attendance rate is the number of actual full-time equivalent student-days attended by full-time students in years 1 to 10 as a percentage of the total number of possible student-days attended over the period.
Attendance is recorded for the first semester in the reporting year.
Attendance data are collected through the electronic school management system at the school. For primary school attendance data, teachers record student attendance daily (to the level of half day attendance). High school attendance data are recorded at each teaching period and entered into the electronic school management system. Absence data are aggregated at the end of each term and entered in the school management system.
A data quality statement on this measure can be obtained from www.pc.gov.au/gsp/reports/rogs
The attendance rate of public school students from years 1 to 10 was 91.3 percent in 2011, compared with 91.7 percent in 2010 (Figure A8.3). The Directorate has set in place strategies to increase the attendance and engagement of students, particularly at high schools and colleges.
The national attendance rate for public schools in 2010 (latest available data) was the same as the previous year at 91.0 percent, lower than the attendance rate for ACT public school students.
Figure A8.3: Student attendance in public schools, years 1 to 10
Source:
- ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
- Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services 2011, Table 4A.135 for 2009 data, and Report on Government Services 2012, Table 4A.110 for 2010 data
Note:
- Australian rate is an average of states and territories' years 1 to 10 average.
Student satisfaction
Student satisfaction is an important indicator of student engagement, leading to positive learning outcomes.
Box A8.4: Student satisfaction
Student satisfaction is based on a survey of students from years 5 to 12 at ACT public schools, excluding students at specialist schools. The survey is conducted in May and June each year. Responses are sought from primary and high school students to 35 items and to 37 items for college students.
In determining overall student satisfaction, the question 'Overall I am satisfied I am getting a good education at this school' is used. Responses are collected on a five point scale with only statements of 'agree' or 'strongly agree' used to calculate overall satisfaction rates.
In 2011, 13,939 students responded to the survey.
Further information on the quality of this measure can be obtained by emailing to ETDAnnualReport@act.gov.au
From 2009 to 2011, overall student satisfaction (across primary, high and college sectors) with the quality of the education received at public schools increased slightly (Figure A8.4). There is no comparative data at the national level.
Figure A8.4: Overall student satisfaction with the education at public schools
Source: ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
Student Pathways and Transitions
'To provide learning pathways for students resulting in an educated and skilled workforce that meets the present and future needs of the ACT and region.'
Student destination
The proportion of year 12 graduates engaged in study or employment six months after completing year 12 reflects performance of the educational system in preparing students for further study and employment.
Box A8.5: Student destination post-school
Destination data is based on a survey of graduates who successfully complete year 12 in the ACT. Graduates from the previous year are surveyed in May of the reference year.
The survey frame is drawn from the Board of Senior Secondary Studies administrative records and the population of interest is defined as those graduates who were awarded a Year 12 Certificate from an ACT college, school or the Canberra Institute of Technology. The population excludes graduates who were full-fee paying international students.
There were 4,112 year 12 graduates in 2010. Of these, 3,442 graduates were contacted for the survey. Contact was made from 11 to 31 May 2011. There were 2,811 graduates who completed the survey, a response rate of 81.7 percent.
Further information on the quality of this measure can be obtained by emailing to ETDAnnualReport@act.gov.au
As shown in Figure A8.5, the percentage of year 12 graduates engaged in study or employment increased from 90.7 percent in 2010 to 92.6 percent in 2011.
Nationally, the latest available data was for 2010. The percentage of 2009 year 12 graduates who were studying or employed full-time in 2010 was 74.8 percent, a slight increase from 2009. The ACT has continued to maintain high levels of success with 90 percent or more of graduates engaged in study or employment over the last three years.
Figure A8.5: Percentage of public school year 12 graduates studying or employed six months after completing year 12
Source:
1. ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
2. Productivity Commission, Report on Government Services 2011, Table 4A.133, and Report on Government Services 2012, Table 4A.108
Note:
1. Australian rate is for 15-24 years old engaged in full-time study or employment in May 2009 and 2010 after finishing year 12 in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
Leadership and Corporate Development
'To ensure that the Directorate is recognised as a responsive, innovative and high-achieving organisation that delivers on its commitments.'
Parent and carer satisfaction
The satisfaction of parents and carers with education in public schools shows the confidence of stakeholders in the educational policies and performance of the Directorate
Box A8.6: Parent and carer satisfaction
Parent and carer satisfaction is based on a survey of parents and carers of students attending ACT public schools. The survey is conducted in May and June each year. Responses are sought from parents and carers to 17 questions.
In determining overall parent and carer satisfaction, the question 'Overall I am satisfied with my child's education at this school' is used. Responses are collected on a five point scale with only statements of 'agree' or 'strongly agree' being used to calculate overall satisfaction rates.
In 2011, 8,518 parents and carers of students responded to the survey.
Further information on the quality of this measure can be obtained by emailing to ETDAnnualReport@act.gov.au
Figure A8.6 indicates that there was a high level of parent and carer satisfaction with education at public schools over the last three years. Satisfaction levels improved from 81.7 percent in 2010 to 83.3 percent in 2011. There is no comparative data at the national level on parent and carer satisfaction.
Figure A8.6: Overall satisfaction of parents and carers with the education provided at public schools
Source: ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13
Staff retention
Staff retention is an indicator of the satisfaction of the workforce of an organisation, including satisfaction with management and commitment to achieving corporate goals. While some turnover of staff is important to ensure the organisation is generating new ideas and skills, stability is essential to maintain corporate knowledge and culture. The Directorate has set its staff retention target at 92 percent to adequately balance these competing needs of new ideas and stability.
Box A8.7: Staff retention
The staff retention rate is expressed as a percentage of all staff retained in the financial year.
The rate is calculated by dividing the number of permanent staff employed at the last pay day in June of the preceding year plus the number of commencements during the financial year, minus the number of separations in the same financial year, by the number of staff at the last pay day of the preceding year and commencements during the financial year.
The indicator is based on the headcount of all permanent school-based and office-based staff in all classification streams. Staff on long service leave are excluded from these counts.
Further information on the quality of this measure can be obtained by emailing to ETDAnnualReport@act.gov.au
The Directorate has historically maintained a high staff retention rate. The retention rate of 93.1 percent in 2011 was similar to previous years and close to the target (Figure A8.7). There is no comparative data at the national level.
Figure A8.7: Staff retention rate
Source: ACT Government Budget Paper 4, 2012-13