❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the impact of the new school funding model on Albany schools, focusing on core business delivery, monitoring, and educational outcomes. The answer defends the model, highlighting increased funding for many schools and ongoing monitoring.
AnsweredQoN 3723Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In relation to the allocated school budgets for 2015 and how schools in Albany are coping with this, I ask: (a) what is the core business of Western Australian public schools and how is it to be delivered; (b) is there any criteria to be met to ensure under the new funding system schools can deliver this core business; (c) are school choirs and sports carnivals as core business of schools; (d) what monitoring or auditing process is in place to assess the new funding model on schools to ensure its effectiveness; (e) is there a protective mechanism within the new funding model to protect and ensure that the educational outcomes and standards set by government can be delivered; (f) what happens when the funding system compromises the delivery of these outcomes and standards; and (g) what is the process the Minister uses to determine that schools are better off under the new funding model?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 April 2015
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Education
Response time
43 days
(a) The core business of Western Australian public schools is to provide every child with a high quality public school education - whatever their ability, wherever they live, whatever their background. They are expected to do this through the provision of high-quality teaching and learning that is relevant and responsive to their students' and community needs.
(b) The Department of Education has ensured that each school has sufficient funding to enable it to deliver an appropriate curriculum and meet legislative requirements, including covering general operating costs; salaries for principals, teachers and support staff; and costs for utilities, cleaning and gardening.
(c) Activities such as school choirs and sports carnivals are examples of ways that schools choose to deliver different parts of the curriculum.
(d) Formal agreements will be entered into between each school principal and the Department of Education to ensure that the annual school budget is managed, monitored and reported in an open and transparent manner. All schools will be accountable for their budgets through these agreements and will be required to indicate how the funds are making a difference to outcomes for students. The Department will continue to centrally monitor the performance of all students through its School Performance Monitoring System. All schools are subject to processes of financial audit and are required to report to their boards and councils in relation to the school budgets and student performance.
(e) In developing the student-centred funding model, extensive modelling was undertaken to ensure all schools have sufficient funds to deliver an appropriate educational program for their students. The Department will continue to centrally monitor the performance of all students through its School Performance Monitoring System. In addition, IPS are required to undertake an independent review every three years.
(f) The new funding model does not compromise the delivery of educational outcomes. The model provides principals with greater flexibility and more control to determine the best deployment of their funds to maximise outcomes for their students.
(g) The impact of the SCFM is measured by comparing what the expected 2015 school budget would have been under the previous funding model and the actual school budget for 2015 under the SCFM. 601 schools have more funding under the new model than they would have received if the model had not changed.
(b) The Department of Education has ensured that each school has sufficient funding to enable it to deliver an appropriate curriculum and meet legislative requirements, including covering general operating costs; salaries for principals, teachers and support staff; and costs for utilities, cleaning and gardening.
(c) Activities such as school choirs and sports carnivals are examples of ways that schools choose to deliver different parts of the curriculum.
(d) Formal agreements will be entered into between each school principal and the Department of Education to ensure that the annual school budget is managed, monitored and reported in an open and transparent manner. All schools will be accountable for their budgets through these agreements and will be required to indicate how the funds are making a difference to outcomes for students. The Department will continue to centrally monitor the performance of all students through its School Performance Monitoring System. All schools are subject to processes of financial audit and are required to report to their boards and councils in relation to the school budgets and student performance.
(e) In developing the student-centred funding model, extensive modelling was undertaken to ensure all schools have sufficient funds to deliver an appropriate educational program for their students. The Department will continue to centrally monitor the performance of all students through its School Performance Monitoring System. In addition, IPS are required to undertake an independent review every three years.
(f) The new funding model does not compromise the delivery of educational outcomes. The model provides principals with greater flexibility and more control to determine the best deployment of their funds to maximise outcomes for their students.
(g) The impact of the SCFM is measured by comparing what the expected 2015 school budget would have been under the previous funding model and the actual school budget for 2015 under the SCFM. 601 schools have more funding under the new model than they would have received if the model had not changed.
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