❓ Hon. Laine McDonald asks the Minister for Education about the retention rates of WA public school students in 2015 and 2014. The Minister provides the calculations used to determine these rates, highlighting factors that influenced the 2014 rate.
AnsweredQoN 1314Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS — RETENTION RATES
1314. Hon LAINE McDONALD to the Minister
for Education:
I refer to the department's
annual report and the retention rate of WA public school students for 2015.
(1) How many students does the
retention rate of 80.4 per cent equate to?
(2) The 2014
retention rate for years 8 to 12 was 90.3 per cent. How many students does that
equate to?
1314. Hon LAINE McDONALD to the Minister
for Education:
I refer to the department's
annual report and the retention rate of WA public school students for 2015.
(1) How many students does the
retention rate of 80.4 per cent equate to?
(2) The 2014
retention rate for years 8 to 12 was 90.3 per cent. How many students does that
equate to?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
The methodology to calculate student
retention rates is the same used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
ensuring the rates are nationally comparable.
(1) The 2015
apparent retention rate was calculated by 13 005 full-time year 12 public
school students as at the semester 2, 2015 student census being divided by 16 174
full-time public school students in year 8 as at the semester 2, 2011 student
census—four years earlier.
(2) The 2014
apparent retention rate was calculated by 8 364 full-time year 12 public school
students as at the semester 2, 2014 student census being divided by 9 267
full-time public school students in year 8 as at the semester 2, 2010 student
census—four years earlier. There were fewer students in the 2014
apparent retention rate calculation because it was the half cohort. As noted in
the Department of Education's current and previous annual reports, the
2014 apparent retention rate was artificially inflated by higher net overseas
and interstate migration, more students moving to public schools from private
schools and more vocational education and training providers than in previous
years. A marked reduction in these inflationary factors caused the 2015 rate to
return to a level more consistent with the 2013 rate and the longer term trend
of improvement.
some notice of the question.
The methodology to calculate student
retention rates is the same used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics,
ensuring the rates are nationally comparable.
(1) The 2015
apparent retention rate was calculated by 13 005 full-time year 12 public
school students as at the semester 2, 2015 student census being divided by 16 174
full-time public school students in year 8 as at the semester 2, 2011 student
census—four years earlier.
(2) The 2014
apparent retention rate was calculated by 8 364 full-time year 12 public school
students as at the semester 2, 2014 student census being divided by 9 267
full-time public school students in year 8 as at the semester 2, 2010 student
census—four years earlier. There were fewer students in the 2014
apparent retention rate calculation because it was the half cohort. As noted in
the Department of Education's current and previous annual reports, the
2014 apparent retention rate was artificially inflated by higher net overseas
and interstate migration, more students moving to public schools from private
schools and more vocational education and training providers than in previous
years. A marked reduction in these inflationary factors caused the 2015 rate to
return to a level more consistent with the 2013 rate and the longer term trend
of improvement.
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