DET tries to sidestep protocols
Federation believes a proposed trial of annual school reports violates the protocols that protect against leagues tables. BRENDA SEYMOUR reports.
Federation listed a dispute in the Industrial Relations Commission on June 15 as it was of the view that Department of Education and Training (DET) proposals and the 2005 proposed trial in 50 schools of new annual school reports was in breach of Clause 18 of the award.
Clause 18 of the 2004 award indicates that annual school reports "shall be subject to the protocols agreed in 1997 in relation to Annual Self Evaluation Annual School Reporting and external test data".
The protocols indicate:
"In the preparation of annual school reports schools will consider, and use if appropriate to their circumstances, the four types of comments below:
statewide comparison comment
strengths in curriculum comment
internal school comparison comment
student gender comment."
Ironically, it is DET that is suggesting Federation members not comply with the award.
On July 25 Federation offered a compromise to both refine and extend the data that might be subject to the award protocols. At the time of going to print the Government is considering this proposal.
The Government has not had any discussions with non government schools regarding reporting or protocols so any supposed 'consistency' between the public and private sector reporting appears to be already compromised. DET has relied on the NSW Auditor-General's Report of September 2004 and sought to effect his recommendations, however, the Auditor-General wrote his report unaware of the Federal Government requirements which didn't come to light until 2005. The Federal Government requirements are in many instances less stringent than the Auditor-General's. The matter is back in the Industrial Relations Commission on August 12.
Brenda Seymour is the Assistant General Secretary (Research and Industrial).
Summary of Federation's concerns
For further information
August 2005 contents
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