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PARENTS AND SCHOOLS - A CALL TO
ACTION
Australian primary and
secondary schooling requires major change to empower parents and teachers, and
to meet the diverse needs of students. The old ‘public versus private’
debate has served students, parents and teachers badly. It has focused attention
on institutional arrangements on the supply-side rather than individualized
arrangements on the demand side. A revolution in our schools is needed as a
national priority.
The ownership structure of schools is less
important for parents than their ability to access individualized,
person-centred education for their children within values frameworks of their
own choosing.
Ideology is less important for conscientious
teachers than opportunities afforded for them to be the best teachers they can
be with appropriate peer and public acknowledgement.
Trade union agendas in schools are less important
for students than individualized learning agendas and continuity in personal and
social support from trusted adults.
Students have been the big losers in the false
war between equity and choice, especially those students with learning,
behavioural and social difficulties and disabilities.
The Centre for Civil Society has developed this draft Call to Action as campaign tool for parents and
teachers who want major reform in our schools.
The
draft will be
discussed at a Forum on 21 March in Melbourne.
DRAFT PARENTS AND SCHOOLS - A CALL TO ACTION
This Call to Action
is addressed to state and federal governments. As parents and teachers, we want
a revolution in our schools as a national priority.
This is our Call:
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1.
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Consolidate
all commonwealth and state school funding programs in a student-based
funding entitlement allocated to parents. This Student-Based
Funding Entitlement (SBFE)
would be a fixed dollar entitlement for every student, allocated directly
to parents, so that parents can take their child’s entitlement to a
school of their choice.
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2.
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Supplement
the Student-Based Funding Entitlement
with an additional entitlement for educational and social disadvantage (SBFE
Plus). This additional entitlement should be structured
so that schools will compete to attract students with learning and
developmental deficits and behavioural difficulties, with additional
financial incentives for achievement of performance-based outcomes with
these students.
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3.
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Require
all schools (public and private) to meet benchmarks on inclusion of
students with learning and social disadvantages in order to be eligible to
receive publicly funded entitlements. Schools which meet these benchmarks
may adopt their own fee schedules to supplement SBFE entitlements up to a
maximum fee of $12,000. Schools which do not meet these benchmarks will
not be eligible to receive public funds through SBFE
entitlements.
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4.
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Allow all
schools greater flexibility in determining curriculum, their preferred
educational and organizational philosophy, and their preferred reporting
mechanisms to parents. |
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5.
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Allow
schools in the public system to hire and fire staff as they see fit.
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6.
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Make
it easier for parent entities to establish new schools with their
preferred educational philosophies and leadership.
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7.
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Support
the establishment of a Parent School
Information Service to
provide comparative online data on schools, school performance, school
values and cultures. School co-operation with this Service will be made a
requirement for receipt of publicly funded entitlements.
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8.
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Introduce
a Lifelong Learning Account
for all students at the age of 18 with an
initial public allocation of $8,000 to be used for ongoing learning
through university, TAFE, ACFE, workplace or arts-based programs,
administered by a network of Account Holders as high-yield investment
instruments. Students, families, employers and philanthropists may make
supplementary deposits in this Account, but withdrawals may be made only
for authorized educational expenditures.
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Comments
on the draft Call to Action are welcome and should be sent to Vern Hughes by
email
or on 0425 722 890.
HOW
TO BECOME INVOLVED
We will use the Call to Action in developing a major campaign in
support of major reform in our schools in the lead up to the next federal and state elections. Fill in the online form below if you wish to be involved..
We will aim to get every MP around the country to push
for implementation of the points in this Manifesto, and we will monitor their efforts in
doing so (as well as their parties).
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