Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():  At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Education and Employment References Committee for inquiry and report by 2 July 2024:

The issue of stagnant and declining academic standards in Australian schools, with specific reference to:

(a) students' proficiency in literacy and numeracy, as tested through the National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy test and other authoritative tests, such as the Program for International Student Assessment;

(b) how countries with high or markedly improving academic standards are achieving these results, the extent to which the experience of these countries can inform Australian schools, and how funding for students in Australia and other countries correlates with student performance and academic standards;

(c) evidence-based teaching practices and pedagogy (proven teaching methods), the extent to which proven teaching methods have been adopted in Australian schools, and how this has impacted on academic standards, particularly foundational skills in literacy and numeracy;

(d) the training, resources, funding and assistance available to teachers, including continuing professional development, to support the delivery of proven teaching methods;

(e) the effectiveness of current diagnostic tests and screening for skills in literacy and numeracy, including phonics and foundational maths, including the screening of students at school-entry;

(f) how relevant Australian state, territory and federal departments and agencies are working to address this growing challenge;

(g) the experience of principals, teachers and parents in meeting the challenge of raising academic standards in Australian schools particularly for socio-economically disadvantaged students and students in regional, rural and remote Australia;

(h) improvements that could be made to the Australian Curriculum to raise academic standards in Australian schools;

(i) the economic cost of stagnant and declining academic standards in Australian schools; and

(j) any other related matters.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():  I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion. The shadow minister for education accuses the government of being 'caught up in a vortex of education reviews' and now proposes one. We have done the reviews, we have the evidence and we know that under those opposite school attendance dropped, school completion rates dropped, and the gap between students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who aren't got worse. Together with the states and territories we established a panel of experts to inform the next national school reform agreement. Next year we will negotiate that agreement and get on with the job of building a better and fairer education system for the country.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

():  I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens will also not support this motion. We have, like Senator Chisholm has said, had numerous reviews into this issue, including the coalition's own review in 2017 on exactly the same topic. We are awaiting the report of the expert panel. It is time to stop the reviews and get on with the job of funding and supporting our teachers and schools.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 3, standing in the name of Senator O'Sullivan and moved by Senator Askew, be agreed to.