❓ Hon. Samantha Rowe questions the Minister for Education regarding cuts to Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer (AIEO) funding at Tranby Primary School, given its high proportion of Indigenous students. The Minister acknowledges a reduced allocation but cites enrolment projections and a revised funding model.
AnsweredQoN 1001Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS — ABORIGINAL AND ISLANDER EDUCATION
OFFICERS
1001. Hon SAMANTHA ROWE to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to cuts of $2.3 million to the Aboriginal and
Islander education officers—AIEO—allocation budget.
(1) Can the
Minister for Education confirm that Tranby Primary School is set to lose 0.69
of an Aboriginal and Islander education officer full-time equivalent despite 38
per cent of students being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background?
(2) What
additional resources will the government put in place for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students at Tranby Primary School as compensation for the cut
to AIEO FTE allocations in order to mitigate the inevitable negative impacts?
OFFICERS
1001. Hon SAMANTHA ROWE to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to cuts of $2.3 million to the Aboriginal and
Islander education officers—AIEO—allocation budget.
(1) Can the
Minister for Education confirm that Tranby Primary School is set to lose 0.69
of an Aboriginal and Islander education officer full-time equivalent despite 38
per cent of students being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background?
(2) What
additional resources will the government put in place for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students at Tranby Primary School as compensation for the cut
to AIEO FTE allocations in order to mitigate the inevitable negative impacts?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) Based on the
most recent enrolment projections submitted by the school, it is anticipated
that the reduction in Aboriginal and Islander education officer allocation will
be 0.36 full-time equivalent. The allocation in 2013 was 2.54; however, for a
large portion of the year, 0.54 FTE was unused by the school. The projected
allocation in 2014 is 2.18 FTE. The allocation of AIEO FTE varies according to
the number and, previously, the year level of Aboriginal students enrolled. In
2013, there were 74 Aboriginal students enrolled in preprimary to year 7. In
2014, it is anticipated there will be 64 Aboriginal students enrolled in
preprimary to year 7.
(2) Tranby
Primary School has an Aboriginal kindergarten, which will continue in 2014. The
school will also continue to access other funding, including the Aboriginal
tutorial assistance scheme to support Aboriginal students. The current
allocative model for AIEOs is based on an outdated formula that provides a
different level of support depending upon the year level of the student. The
multiplier has been changed so that Aboriginal students receive the same level
of support irrespective of their year level. The new student-centred funding
model to be implemented in 2015 will have a per student resource allocation for
each Aboriginal student and there will be no minimum threshold for eligibility.
The current AIEO allocation model specifies that a minimum entitlement of 0.2 FTE
must be met before an allocation can be made. Funding will be directed to
address Aboriginal student learning needs and close the education achievement
gap.
question.
(1) Based on the
most recent enrolment projections submitted by the school, it is anticipated
that the reduction in Aboriginal and Islander education officer allocation will
be 0.36 full-time equivalent. The allocation in 2013 was 2.54; however, for a
large portion of the year, 0.54 FTE was unused by the school. The projected
allocation in 2014 is 2.18 FTE. The allocation of AIEO FTE varies according to
the number and, previously, the year level of Aboriginal students enrolled. In
2013, there were 74 Aboriginal students enrolled in preprimary to year 7. In
2014, it is anticipated there will be 64 Aboriginal students enrolled in
preprimary to year 7.
(2) Tranby
Primary School has an Aboriginal kindergarten, which will continue in 2014. The
school will also continue to access other funding, including the Aboriginal
tutorial assistance scheme to support Aboriginal students. The current
allocative model for AIEOs is based on an outdated formula that provides a
different level of support depending upon the year level of the student. The
multiplier has been changed so that Aboriginal students receive the same level
of support irrespective of their year level. The new student-centred funding
model to be implemented in 2015 will have a per student resource allocation for
each Aboriginal student and there will be no minimum threshold for eligibility.
The current AIEO allocation model specifies that a minimum entitlement of 0.2 FTE
must be met before an allocation can be made. Funding will be directed to
address Aboriginal student learning needs and close the education achievement
gap.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.