Federal funding to increase autonomy in Victorian government schools

The Australian Government’s $70 million Independent Public Schools initiative will deliver almost $16 million funding to enhance school autonomy in Victoria and support the Napthine Government's recently announced initiatives in Professional Practice and Performance for Improved Learning: School Governance. Between 2014 and 2017, Victoria will receive $15.89 million under the Australian Government's Independent Public Schools initiative to deliver training, resources and support for Victorian government schools. Over the next 12 months, up to 250 schools will benefit from a comprehensive programme in key areas such as principal leadership development and training, capacity building for school councils, administrative support for principals, and funding to support federated governance models. Minister for Education the Hon Christopher Pyne MP said he welcomed Victoria’s commitment to encouraging greater autonomy in government schools. “We know that great schools have leaders and teachers who have the independence to make the decisions and develop the programs that best meet the needs of their students,” said Mr Pyne. “Victoria has a strong history in granting their public schools the freedom to make local decisions for the benefit of their students and local communities,” he said. Mr Pyne said Victoria’s recently announced reforms to school governance activities will directly benefit all Victorian schools through the support provided to school principals, leadership teams and school communities. “The Independent Public Schools initiative is an important part of the Government’s Students First approach, and this funding will allow Victorian schools to better meet the needs of their students and communities,” Mr Pyne said. The Government’s Students First approach focuses on four key areas that will make a difference to students: ·         teacher quality ·         school autonomy ·         parental engagement ·         strengthening the curriculum For further information, visit www.studentsfirst.gov.au. “I am very pleased that Victorian schools and students will benefit from this $16 million funding from the Australian Government,” Victorian Minister for Education the Hon Martin Dixon MP said. “In Victoria, where schools already have high levels of autonomy, this funding will build the capacity of principals, school leaders and school communities to take full advantage of the level of autonomy already available to them. “This funding will support our recently announced reforms to school governance – including those recently announced in Professional Practice and Performance for Improved Learning: School Governance,” he said.