SOS Australia – Page 5 – Fighting for Equity in Education

Empathy is the Key to Teacher-Student Relationships

sosaustralia / April 6, 2019 / Teachers

If you ask a group of educators, from any sector what is the most important feature of successful teacher/student interaction invariably you get the answer relationships. And I would agree. However, personal relationships are hard work even when both parties are committed to having such a connection. It is a challenge when the relationship you need is between a teacher and an angry, oppositional student. It is obvious that it will be up to that teacher to build that relationship, not only is that connection a prerequisite for engagement, how else are they going to participate, it really is an ethical duty.

Class Sizes will be “The Biggest Ever” Boasts President Trump

sosaustralia / April 2, 2019April 2, 2019 / National issues

Doubling down on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ recent claim that students “can learn better with larger classes, with more students to collaborate with, to learn with,” President Trump this morning bragged that the U.S. will lead the world in class size. “Under President Trump, our classes will be huge. They’ll be the biggest, most beautiful class sizes you’ve ever seen, believe me!”

US Senate Bill Proposes Smaller Class Sizes for High-Poverty School Districts

sosaustralia / March 30, 2019 / National issues

Following a year of teacher strikes where educators in West Virginia, Los Angeles, Denver and beyond called for wage increases and reduced class sizes, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has introduced a new bill to incentivize smaller class sizes in kindergarten and first, second and third grades. The legislation, which would allocate $2 billion for competitive grant funding, primarily to high-poverty school districts in the United States, is co-sponsored by Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris (CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Cory Booker (NJ) and Michael Bennet (CO). The bill is also endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the National Parent Teacher Association, and First Focus Campaign for Children.

A Poem on the Ravages of Standardised Tests

sosaustralia / March 26, 2019March 29, 2019 / League Tables and Testing

A US high school student takes issue with standardised tests.

The Dishonourable Lie

sosaustralia / March 25, 2019March 29, 2019 / League Tables and Testing

How often have we all sat through those frustrating meetings where someone from head office or a university articulates with such commitment the first lie – if you can’t measure it then it’s not worth doing. This quantification of education based on an economically rational approach started in the sixties. This was the dawn of outcomes-based learning.

Funding Increases for Private Schools Continue to Outstrip Increases for Public Schools

Trevor Cobbold / March 20, 2019March 29, 2019 / Funding

New funding figures show that government funding increases for private schools continue to far outstrip increases for public schools. Total government funding per student in public schools was cut between 2009-10 and 2016-17 while private schools received a massive increase. Even during the Gonski funding period of 2012-13 to 2016-17 increases in funding for private schools far outstripped those for public schools.

Greater Equity in School Funding Increases Intergenerational Mobility

Trevor Cobbold / March 11, 2019 / Funding

Numerous studies over the past decade or more show that increases in school funding increase student achievement, school completion rates, post-school education and labour market outcomes particularly for disadvantaged students. Now, a new US study shows that more equitable funding of schools increases intergenerational income mobility. Equalisation in school spending closes the gap in investments on the education of low- and high-income students, and this promotes equalisation in their later life outcomes.

Govt. Concealing Catholic Schools’ Use of Taxpayer Funds

Trevor Cobbold / March 5, 2019March 29, 2019 / Funding

Public accountability for the use of taxpayer funding is a fundamental tenet of democratic government. Yet, this principle has long been ignored by Catholic education authorities who refuse to reveal how they distribute government funding amongst their schools despite it being a legislative requirement. Their refusal has been connived at by successive governments that failed to make the Commonwealth Department of Education enforce the legislation. The latest example of this tacit agreement at work is the refusal of the Education Department to fully disclose how Catholic Education Commissions distribute their taxpayer funding.

Education Department Slammed for Failure to Monitor How School Systems Distribute Taxpayer Funding

Trevor Cobbold / February 20, 2019 / Funding

The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit of the Parliament has slammed the Commonwealth Department of Education for failing to ensure that government funding of public and private school systems is distributed according to needs-based principles. In a bi-partisan report tabled in the Parliament last week, the Joint Committee criticised a lack of transparency and accountability about school funding caused by inadequate administrative arrangements.

Public Schools are Defrauded by Billions Under New Funding Agreements

Trevor Cobbold / February 6, 2019June 2, 2019 / Funding

This article is a summary of a new Education Research Brief published by Save Our Schools. The Brief can be downloaded below.

Public schools are being defrauded by billions under school funding agreements finalised at the end of last year between the Commonwealth and state/territory governments (“the states”). Public schools in all states except the ACT will be under-funded indefinitely while private schools in all states except the Northern Territory will be fully funded or more by 2023. Private schools also get more favourable phase-in arrangements than public schools.