Page 3087 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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… in Year 5 Numeracy mean scores the ACT records the worst result of any jurisdiction. On average, students are performing 20 points lower than comparable students in [another jurisdiction]. Twenty points represents almost 6 months of learning and suggests that at a school level by Year 5 students in the ACT are almost 6 months behind students in comparable schools in [another jurisdiction].
The results are worse at Year 9 where for Numeracy the deficit is almost 25 mean score points, keeping in mind that selective entry schools have been excluded.
The Auditor-General concludes:
… numeracy is the area of greatest concern. While results are also significantly lower on all Reading performance measures, the Numeracy results are markedly below the rest of the country, compared to what would be expected based on the populations schools are serving in the ACT.
A striking feature is that in Numeracy the ACT schools are performing … at the lower levels of performance for schools of similar ICSEA values.
I note that the government’s response to this report was tabled in this place on 15 August. I am pleased to see that there is agreement for the most part on the Auditor-General’s seven recommendations. Wholesale changes are necessary to ensure that the ACT’s results reflect the investment and make-up of our city, not just a tokenistic conversation. Government should comprehensively address all students’ performances in a more meaningful way.
As my colleague Mr Wall has stated previously in this place, more investment does not equate to better results. The minister must do more than just have a conversation or throw money at education without a realistic plan for better outcomes. There is absolutely no evidence anywhere to suggest that the policies and investment made by the current Labor-Greens government are translating into results for our students.
Madam Speaker, if you talk to parents and educators, a common theme will emerge: we are just sitting inside the margins. The needs of our students on either side of this margin are not recognised sufficiently. Gifted and talented students face the same challenges as students with special needs. There is not enough being done to meet the needs of either group, let alone the students who sit somewhere in the middle.
There are many other issues that face school communities here in the ACT. One very prevalent issue is the rise of mental health needs of students. I note a number of recommendations in the estimates committee report relating to mental health, particularly services directed at the young. While those recommendations are primarily the responsibility of the health budget, it is worth noting the importance of a whole-of-government approach on this issue. Recommendation 12 states:
The Committee recommends the ACT Government conduct a review of access to youth mental health services to ensure timely access and continuing support.
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