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Education programs across Australia

Victoria

Monitoring and reporting

• Accountability Framework
• First Language Assessment Tasks
• Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program Funding Agreement
• Koorie Assessment and Reporting Support Materials
• Local Complaints Resolution Procedures
• Managing Diversity Quarterly Forum
• Managing Diversity Self Assessment Strategy
• Multicultural Performance Reporting
• Support for English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners from Preliterate Backgrounds
• Tracking the Educational Pathways of Newly-Arrived Students from Language Backgrounds other than English

Accountability Framework

In developing their school charter, student code of conduct and local codes of practice for the school council, principal, teachers, parents and students, schools are required to embrace the principles of anti-discrimination legislation by specifying behavioural expectations which support cultural diversity and take into account the cultural attitudes and values of the local community.

First Language Assessment Tasks

Assessment tasks designed for newly arrived students entering Australian schools at the upper primary and secondary level have been developed in Arabic, Khmer, Somali and Vietnamese. The materials comprise a set of reading and writing tasks of increasing complexity, which, when used with information about students' previous educational experiences and observations in the early weeks of their enrolment in an Australian school can assist teachers to get a clearer picture of the literacy skills particular students might have. These semiformal assessment tasks can assist teachers to assess what students can or cannot do through reading or writing, in their first language, or in the language in which their initial education may have occurred. Specific background information relating to the language and culture of the four target groups is also included.

Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program Funding Agreement

As part of the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program Funding Agreement, the Department of Education & Training (DE&T) reports annually to the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training against performance targets across a range of Indigenous education priorities such as literacy, numeracy, educational outcomes and inclusive curriculum. The VAEAI are participants in both monitoring and reporting on progress in relation to the Agreement.

Koorie Assessment and Reporting Support Materials

The Koorie Assessment and Reporting Support Materials are one component of a series of booklets, which supports schools in the key task of assessing and reporting on students' achievements. They provide information to assist teachers in making decisions about assessment and reporting in relation to Koorie students and promote awareness of Koorie English.

Local Complaints Resolution Procedures

These guidelines provide advice to principals in the management and resolution of complaints made by students, parents, staff members or other members of the school community. Complaints can relate to any action or decision which they consider to be unfair, unreasonable, inappropriate, or a breach of any relevant Act, regulation or Ministerial order, including the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act.

The Local Complaints Resolution Procedures provide both formal and informal avenues for responding to complaints and emphasise conciliation and resolution. Complaints are documented and reports handled with confidentiality. School monitoring of complaints is specified as part of the normal school management and continuous improvement processes.

Managing Diversity Quarterly Forum

The Managing Diversity Quarterly Forum provides a vehicle for monitoring and reporting information from all Victorian school regions on current progress on the implementation of counter racism and diversity policies and initiatives.

Managing Diversity Self Assessment Strategy

An innovative Managing Diversity Self Assessment Strategy is being developed by the Department of Education & Training (DE&T) to assist school principals, managers and leadership teams self assess their diversity performance. The self assessment approach will enable the development, implementation and ongoing review of programs for managing the diversity of staff, students and clients. The strategy includes a diversity survey tool to assist in auditing the extent to which a school or work unit is currently embracing diversity. The Diversity Self-Assessment Strategy is being developed jointly with the University of Southern Queensland, and the DE&T Managing Diversity Quarterly Forum for future trialing in schools and DE&T workplaces.

Multicultural Performance Reporting

A whole-of-government Multicultural Affairs Policy has been developed. The framework requires all government departments to provide departmental performance on multicultural affairs.

Each department is required to report on the following four principles:

• valuing diversity
• overcoming disadvantage
• encouraging participation
• promoting economic, social and cultural benefits for all Victorians.

The departmental cultural diversity plans and reports are the key elements of the framework. The framework includes some common reporting areas across government, such as language services and multicultural representation on boards and committees.

Support for English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners from Preliterate Backgrounds

A number of initiatives are currently being undertaken by the Department of Education & Training (DE&T) to support ESL learners from preliterate backgrounds at all stages of their schooling. These include the establishment of a broadly-based reference group to maximise cooperation across and between government departments and agencies, the establishment of regionally-based networks for teachers of preliterate learners in each of the metropolitan regions, professional development activities particularly targeted at teachers of ESL learners from preliterate backgrounds, and the development of support materials for teachers.

Tracking the Educational Pathways of Newly-Arrived Students from Language Backgrounds other than English

Vic Health has established a special program, including projects to support newly-arrived students at risk following the Mental Health Promotion Plan, which identified new arrivals, particularly those from refugee backgrounds as a vulnerable sub-population. The purpose of this program is to identify and implement strategies to enhance the access of young refugees to education and training pathways in Victoria. The program also aims to identify ways to enhance the health promoting potential of education and training settings.

The Department of Education & Training (DE&T) is developing a project to identify a representative group of new arrivals across regions, including regional Victoria and to track their pathways. The project brief will be developed to complement the research being funded by Vic Health.