DISSENTING REPORT
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
The Labor and Australian Democrat Senators RECOMMEND
that, with respect to the reporting obligations of all parties under
the National Report on Schooling,
(a) MCEETYA strengthen the accountability and reporting requirements
pertaining to the new targeted assistance programs by focussing on the
measurement of educational outcomes, particularly with regard to students
who are socio-economically disadvantaged, of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander background, non-English speaking background or who have designated
special needs.
(b) that, each year, one of these programs be subjected to a formal,
independent evaluation, with special emphasis on the achievement of
outcomes for the designated disadvantaged groups. This would mean a
five year cycle of review for each of the new equity programs proposed.
The Labor and Australian Democrat Senators RECOMMEND that the States
Grants (Primary & Secondary Assistance ) Bill 1996 be amended
to include provisions requiring proper planning processes in the development
and establishment of new non-government schools. Such processes should
reflect the considerations regarding new non-government school proposals
articulated by Professor McKinnon in his Review of the New Schools Policy.
The Labor and Australian Democrat Senators RECOMMEND
that the government not proceed with the implementation of the Enrolment
Benchmark Adjustment mechanism, and that
(a) the mechanism and its projected impacts be placed before
MCEETYA for detailed consideration before it is further considered
by the parliament, and
(b) MCEETYA develop a strategy to improve Australia's relatively
poor performance in school expenditure compared with other OECD
countries.