Isolated parents support allowances to bypass local schools

By Owen Hasler

The Isolated Childrens Parents Association (ICPA) annual conference has called for government assistance to enable students to bypass their local schools.

The ICPA Annual Conference was held at Walgett on March 13-14.

The early motions dealt with at the conference concentrated on the ability of local families to access the Assistance for Isolated Children Boarding Allowance (an amount of $6396) in order to allow "freedom of choice" for their children.

Many of the delegates claimed that the present application of the Assistance for Isolated Children Boarding Allowance was "discriminatory" on the basis that isolated farming families gain financial assistance to go to private boarding schools while town residents are not eligible.

The University of New England's Professor John Pegg's National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SIMERR) national survey findings examining the results of students in rural schools when contrasted with students from urban areas was also used as a justification for bypassing small rural secondary schools.

One delegate referred to one local high school being "by passed" by a number of Indigenous students by utilising their Abstudy Allowance in order to seek placements in boarding schools.

Reference was made to a "bypass" trial being discussed by representatives of the Department of Education and Training and the ICPA which would involve providing 'points' to schools and to students which would allow students who had an appropriate 'score' to access the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) boarding allowance.

The nature of the motions suggested a concerted, organised campaign from ICPA branches including Brewarrina, Burren Junction, Collarenebri/Mungindi, Hillston, Lightning Ridge, Nyngan, Tottenham, Walgett and Warrumbungles who promoted this extension of the allowance.

"Affordable access to a choice in education" appeared to be the mantra justifying this demand for an extended allowance system.

A number of public high and central schools were mentioned and allegations made about the effectiveness of these schools. Teaching staff were accused of "only staying long enough to get a move to a more favourable location".

A potential fall in enrolments at the local public school, as a consequence of the extension of the AIC allowance did not appear to be of importance to the delegates.

It was interesting to note that these motions addressed high school issues. The local primary public school appears to have greater support and confidence among the delegates. No evidence as to why this was considered to be the case was provided by speakers in reports or during the debate.

It was also interesting to note that other allowances paid to rural parents:

• The Secondary Living Away from Home Allowance for year 11 and 12 students is $1166 per student plus $274 year supplement. The allowance is means tested (income needs to be below $47,537) with a distance factor (at least 48 kilometres from the nearest Government school or nearest school of denomination choice).
• The Second Home Allowance (where families maintain a second home to allow students to attend a school) is $186.34 a fortnight per child. The allowance is limited to a maximum of three children.
• The Youth Allowance is available for full time students aged 16-24 years and is income tested. The allowance provides $190.50 for an under 18 year old student at home, $348.10 for an under 18 year old student away from home, and $348.10 for an over 18 year old student away from home.

In presenting the Rural Schools Report ICPA Committee member Carolyn Groat referred to the 2006 announcement by Minister Tebbutt that PP6 schools would have two adults on duty at all times. Ms Groat then outlined some of the findings of the University of New England's SIMERR review and the implications for rural schools.

Ms Groat stressed the need for increased funding for itinerant teachers' travel, the need for a vehicle to be supplied to principals at schools such as Wanaaring, as well as the need for two rooms for teacher interviews, school counsellor assessment and the like.

Motions relating to boarding and agricultural high schools demonstrated an emphasis on, and delegates interest in, secondary boarding schools.

This was reflected in the following motions:

"That the ICPA continue to lobby the Federal Treasurer to exempt fringe benefits tax on residential accommodation for essential supervisory staff in all metropolitan boarding schools,"

and

"That the ICPA requests the Minister for Education and Training to re-instate the interest rate subsidy for capital works to Category 1, 2 and 3 schools."

In responding to a motion from Rankin Springs branch, which raised concerns about the absence of principals due to their attendance at professional development activities, DET Western Region regional director Carole McDiarmid indicated that apart from those days required for compliance training which principals have to attend, principals would be encouraged to undertake training by way of video-conferencing in future.

A motion from Monaro branch supported Federation's Small Schools policy relating to a sliding scale linked to student enrolments for P5s and P6s and West Wyalong branch's motion, carried unanimously, sought to "increase incentives to attract and retain teaching staff to PP5 and PP6 schools."

Owen Hasler is a Country Organiser.

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