Education

Closing the
Gap on
Aboriginal
Education
Outcomes
The Tasmanian Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Educational
Outcomes (2010-2014) Strategy complements work through
the Smarter Schools National Partnership for Literacy and
Numeracy to lift the performance of Aboriginal students.
The Tasmanian Closing the Gap Strategy reflects the priority
actions of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Education Action Plan (NATSIEAP) which aims to build
the capacity of schools to meet the educational needs of
Aboriginal students and accelerate performance through
whole of school approaches to personalised learning,
literacy and numeracy improvement and community
engagement.
A feature of the strategy is the identification of 61 focus
schools, based on high Aboriginal student enrolment and
high educational need, which receive additional support
from the department through Aboriginal Education
Services (AES). Focus schools are receiving specialised
support from AES to support inclusive teaching and
improve community engagement. In 2012, all focus schools
were recipients of additional funding to provide targeted
programs and support for Aboriginal students.
While Tasmanian schools compare well, Aboriginal
students achieve lower learning outcomes than their
non-Aboriginal peers. Strategies designed to close this
gap include: in-class tuition, personalised mentoring and
tutoring, and support for speech and hearing. Professional
learning for tutors and cultural awareness is also provided.
The NATSIEAP enabled extension funding of $1.9 million
to support five NATSIEAP focus schools to incorporate
the Raising the Bar Closing the Gap strategy into their
schools—Raising the Bar Closing the Gap Indigenous
extension. This program concluded at the end of 2012.
Further funding in late 2011 of $1 million over two years
through the Next Steps program has enabled another
five focus schools to support their Aboriginal students.
In June 2012, a new partnership agreement titled
Investing in Focus Schools was signed. A further eight focus
schools receive funds totalling $1.2 million to support the
improvement of Aboriginal student outcomes through
this program.
Literacy and
Numeracy
National
Partnership
schools
Whilst funding for the Smarter Schools National Partnership
for Literacy and Numeracy finished at the end of 2011,
literacy and numeracy remain departmental priorities
and both National Partnership (NP) and non-NP schools
continue to implement strategies to improve the literacy
and numeracy outcomes of all students. The department’s
Literacy and Numeracy Framework introduced in 2012
supports improved student outcomes in literacy and
numeracy. Based on the framework, every school has an
explicit literacy and numeracy strategy as part of their
school improvement plan so that every child’s literacy and
numeracy learning needs can be supported.
To empower inspiring leaders within networks to enhance
literacy and numeracy teaching, the department initiated
a Lead School/Lead Teacher strategy in 2012. Network lead
teachers, based in each lead school, provide leadership,
direction and high level support to all principals and
schools across the network in the implementation of
the Literacy and Numeracy Framework. Lead schools and
lead teachers of literacy and numeracy work across the
networks of schools to mentor and coach and to build the
capacity of teachers to teach literacy and numeracy.
Building the capacity of teachers to effectively use data
to inform their planning and deliver quality literacy and
numeracy opportunities for students has continued
to increase. In 2013, ‘Working with Data’ professional
learning opportunities are provided to principals and
teachers through the Professional Learning Institute
(PLI). The NAPLAN Toolkit, a resource for classroom
teachers, developed by the department, allows classroom
teachers to view, sort and analyse students’ NAPLAN
data and to access links to relevant teaching strategies
to support improved student performance. Relevant
reports and data provided to schools through Educational
Performance Services (EPS) assist schools to better
determine targets for whole school improvement and
student performance.
In 2013, 51 government schools are participating in the
Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership.
Participating schools are implementing the Raising the Bar
strategy. Teachers are focusing on collaborative planning
and effective evidence-based practice to inform their
planning and delivery of quality literacy and numeracy
opportunities to improve student outcomes.
32 Pre-Compulsory and Compulsory Education » Literacy and Numeracy