Ban placed on new format for annual school reports

Schools should use the 2004 format for 2005 annual school reports, as Federation has banned the Federal Government's objectionable new reporting provisions.

Despite Federation's opposition, on October 28 the Department of Education and Training (DET) sent new advice and material to principals and School Self Evaluation Committees regarding the format and content of the Annual School Report for the 2005 school year.

Schools have been given the option by the DET to choose between two formats. The new format contains the Federal Government's objectionable reporting provisions and the State Government's demand for test data to be compared with statewide averages and 'like school' groups. That format should be rejected.

Executive met on November 1 and banned the new format. Schools are advised to continue using the 2004 format.

This issue has already been before the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) on seven occasions under a dispute application filed by the Federation.

The new format gives the School Self Evaluation Committee no discretion. Once a committee opts to use the new format, then all of the data that is within the new format must be included in the published report. If a school opts to use the new format, the professional judgment that presently exists is effectively withdrawn.

The new format does not meet the protocols negotiated between the Federation and the Department. Those protocols were put in place in 1997 to protect students and school communities.

For further information

November 2005 contents