MEDIA RELEASE
Government must implement and expand on education election commitments
Wednesday, 23/10/2024: The Snow Foundation and the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education today welcomed the incoming ACT Government and their commitment to delivering on key education reforms to improve student outcomes in the Territory. As the new government takes shape, the Foundation and the Alliance have called for full implementation and appropriate funding of the recommendations from the ACT Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy in Public Schools, as championed by ACT Labor, the ACT Greens, as well as the newly elected Independents (Thomas Emerson and Fiona Carrick) during the campaign.
This includes the much-needed investment in up-skilling teachers in the science of reading and numeracy, and the introduction of a Year 1 phonics assessment. These reforms are backed by evidence and are critical in ensuring that all children in the ACT have the skills they need to succeed.
“With millions committed by both parties to drive change, we urge the incoming ACT Government to act swiftly to turn their commitments into a reality. The challenges facing our education system are urgent, and the sooner these reforms are implemented, the sooner students, teachers, and schools will benefit,” Jess Del Rio from the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education said.
“However, we believe that the ALP’s decision not to fund small group tutoring, a key recommendation of the Inquiry, is a missed opportunity. Group tutoring is essential for students identified as falling behind. While screening and assessment are crucial, the support provided after identifying at-risk students is equally important. Without targeted interventions, such as small group tutoring, these students may continue to struggle to catch up.”
Scarlett Gaffey, from Snow Foundation, echoed this sentiment, “There’s no point looking to find kids who have fallen behind if you aren’t going to help them. The incoming government must look to implement group tutoring. Every student who needs support should receive it—this is how we ensure equity in education.”
“However, the commitment by both Parties to up-skilling teachers and introducing phonics assessments in Year 1 is a great step forward. But we cannot leave children without the support they need after we identify those who are falling behind. Multi-tiered systems of support, including group tutoring, are proven to help.”
“We call on the incoming ACT Government to make the most of this opportunity to build a strong and inclusive education system that leaves no child behind. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure these reforms are implemented effectively and that students across the Territory receive the best possible education, regardless of their location or background.”
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Media contact: Chris Wagner 0434 378 939
MEDIA RELEASE
New literacy and numeracy initiative welcome; more money needed
Friday, 21/06/2024: The ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education welcomes the ACT Government’s new Strong Foundations initiative, putting students and teachers first through evidence-based literacy and numeracy measures. Backed by the 2024-25 ACT Budget, the Alliance hopes the new initiative enhances education quality and equity across ACT public schools.
“We’ve been working for years to see these changes realised and so we are thrilled to see this initial investment in resources and professional learning. Providing decodable readers and maths instruments centrally will make a real difference in our classrooms, vastly improving literacy levels, and reducing the burden on individual schools’ budgets,” Scarlett Gaffey, co-founder of the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education said.
However, there are concerns about adequate funding. Jess Del Rio, Strategic Advisor at Equity Economics and Alliance co-founder highlighted the need for additional resources to implement the plan.
“While $24.9 million over four years is a promising first stage of investment, it does not match the $90 million investment we estimate is required to fully implement an evidence-based approach across all years and all schools in Canberra so that every parent can be confident their child is accessing a high-quality education at their local school. Staff wages are the biggest cost in education, and they do not appear to have been appropriately accounted for in this initial investment. There must also be a significant and systemic investment now into professional development and coaching for teachers. Accessing professional development cannot come at the cost of workload intensification for teachers and this needs to be appropriately budgeted for,” Ms Del Rio said.
“Implementing these recommendations in full will require more financial support than the ACT Government has promised so far.
“In addition, we are disappointed that there is no funding for SPELD, a centre offering support for families dealing with learning difficulties and dyslexia. Without funding for SPELD, families seeking information and support for learning difficulties are left in the dark, without the support they need. That’s a missed opportunity.”
Alliance co-founder Jen Cross said clarity on the implementation of Strong Foundations was the next important step.
“There needs to be an open implementation and evaluation plan with public transparency and annual reporting so that it is clear what will be delivered and when. This is a significant reform process and there needs to be a clear theory of change and appropriate implementation plan, backed in with sufficient funding to support teachers and school leaders,” Ms Cross said.
The ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education remains committed to supporting these initiatives and looks forward to collaborating with the ACT Government to ensure a successful implementation for the benefit of all students and teachers.
ENDS
Media contact: Chris Wagner 0434 378 939
Media Release: Release of the Final Report of the Literacy and Numeracy Education
Expert Panel: Achieving equity and excellence through evidence-informed consistency
Embargoed until 06:00 AEST, Thursday 2 May 2024
Leading economics firm, Equity Economics, the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education and The Snow Foundation have welcomed a new report released today by the Literacy and Numeracy Education Expert Panel, Achieving equity and excellence through evidence-informed consistency.
The inquiry’s report reflects the recommendations made in Equity Economics’ report Raising the grade: how schools in the ACT can lift literacy outcomes for students and the economy.
The Equity Economics report, which was commissioned by the Snow Foundation in 2023, highlighted that too many students in the ACT are not proficient in literacy with many students being ‘instructional casualties’, students who could and should have become proficient readers but who did not receive appropriate instruction.
Scarlett Gaffey from the Snow Foundation said, “the Snow Foundation cares deeply about the Canberra community and supports systemic change that addresses entrenched disadvantage by taking a preventative approach to ensure the best possible outcomes for Canberra’s children and their life trajectories.”
Strategic adviser at Equity Economics Jessica Del Rio said that “too many students in the ACT are leaving school without acquiring the literacy skills they need for work and life”.
“Low literacy comes at a significant individual cost to the student impacting whether a child will finish school, go to TAFE or university, get a job and their lifetime earnings. It impacts on students’ behaviour, mental health and whether they end up in prison or in trouble with the law. Low literacy also comes at a significant cost to the economy.”
The ground-breaking research by Equity Economics revealed that a significant gap in performance was emerging between Catholic sector schools utilising evidence-based practices and Government schools in the ACT applying approaches which do not work for all students.
In 2019, 42 per cent of Catholic schools and 54 per cent of Government schools were underperforming in reading in Year 3. Four years later, only four per cent of Catholic schools underperformed compared to 60 per cent of Government schools. The Catholic schools achieved these results because of a deliberate and ongoing investment in evidence-based practices.
A subsequent Equity Economics report, which was commissioned by the Code REaD Dyslexia Network, Saving money by spending: solving illiteracy in Australia, examined the performance of all Australian states and territories and found that the ACT and Victoria were the worst performers in implementing evidence-based best practices.
These reports were instrumental in demonstrating the need for a system wide change to lift literacy and equity outcomes in ACT public schools and the establishment of an inquiry into literacy and numeracy.
Equity Economics, The Snow Foundation, and the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education are pleased to see the findings and recommendations of the ACT inquiry reflect the calls made in these Equity Economics reports for:
Implementing a high-quality evidence-based curriculum backed in by resources such as decodable readers for beginner readers
Professional development for principals and teachers
Appropriate screening, diagnostic and progress monitoring assessments to find struggling readers, including the Year 1 Phonics Check
A multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) with high quality whole class instruction, additional small group intervention for around 20% of students and one-on-one intervention for 5% of students.
“As with all things, the devil will be in the detail and a sophisticated theory of change and implementation plan will be required to make these significant system changes, backed in by an appropriate budget commitment,” Ms Del Rio said.
“Equity Economics estimates that around $92 million over four years is required for the ACT public education system to become a world leader in delivering evidence-based literacy and numeracy initiatives.”
This investment is outlined in a joint submission to the 2024-25 ACT Government Budget process from Equity Economics and the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education.
“As with all complex system changes, there needs to clear and purposeful leadership, appropriate resourcing and a rigorous approach to monitoring and evaluation,” Ms Del Rio said.
Equity Economics has been supported by the Snow Foundation, Code REaD Dyslexia Network and ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education to produce reports linked here:
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Media contact: act.aebe@gmail.com
Media Release: Local Alliance Commends ACT Government Independent Inquiry into School Literacy Outcomes
ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education Commends ACT Legislative Assembly for Leadership in Launching an Independent Inquiry to Enhance School Literacy Outcomes.
Canberra, 26 October 2023 — The ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education is pleased to hear that the ACT Legislative Assembly demonstrated unified agreement in its leadership in passing a motion to initiate an independent inquiry into literacy performance in the ACT. This inquiry will support educators, families, and students alike.
The Alliance looks forward to working closely with the Inquiry, and actively contributing the collective expertise of its membership which includes teachers, speech pathologists, psychologists, academics, researchers, occupational therapists, and parents.
The ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education looks forward to actively participating in the newly launched inquiry and recommends it be supported by a secretariat in the Chief Minister’s Department and with members appointed following a public expression of interest process which will ensure the inquiry includes experts with skills in evidence-based approaches to language and reading.
The Alliance encourages the ACT Government to look to good practice from other jurisdictions for similar reviews which provide a sound model for the inquiry. For example, the Tasmanian Government’s Literacy Advisory Panel was co-chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Professor Natalie Brown (Director of the Peter Underwood Centre for Educational Attainment). The panel was supported by a Secretariat in the Department of Premier and Cabinet Policy Branch. As noted in the June 2021, Literacy Advisory Panel Terms of Reference, "The additional six members of the panel were identified through a publicly advertised expression of interest process and with the intention of getting experts with skills across the following areas:
national and international leading expertise in the science of, and evidence-based approaches to, language and reading,
skills in literacy acquisition (and barriers to acquisition) in the community from birth to adulthood (including the current educational context with curriculum, assessment, and pedagogical knowledge of literacy development),
teachers or educational leaders experienced in the change process of implementing a structured, systematic approach to literacy,
clinical and allied health professionals, including speech pathologists and/or educational psychologists with experience in neuroscience and cognitive development, language, literacy and specific learning disabilities,
education specialists with experience in instructional practices which meet the needs of all learners, including classroom structures, routines and the role of assessment in their instructional decision-making,
experience with organisational and delivery skills to facilitate major social change, and
individuals who have a lived experience of literacy challenges.
The Department of Education Deputy Secretary (Support and Development) participated as an ex-officio member of the Panel."
Quotes Attributable to Jen Cross OAM, Spokesperson for the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education:
“Every child has the right to read. In an equitable society, quality education is an inalienable right for all children.”
“As a community, we must collectively pledge that every student in ACT Government schools will achieve proficiency in reading.”
“We are committed to ensuring that the ACT's public education system takes every possible step to raise children beyond the confines of achievement determined by socio-economic backgrounds.”
“We extend our congratulations to ACT Labor, ACT Greens, and the Canberra Liberals for the leadership they have shown today. This inquiry will not only benefit Canberra’s children but also contribute to the economic prosperity of the ACT.”
Quotes Attributable to Jessica Del Rio, Government and Public Finance Lead Equity Economics:
“Equity Economics is delighted to hear about today’s decision by the ACT Legislative Assembly to launch an inquiry into reading.”
“Earlier this year Equity Economics released a report that was commissioned by the Snow Foundation, and which outlined the following recommendations for a system-wide literacy reform package which involves:
· Investing in adopting the latest version of the Australian Curriculum
· providing training and support to principals and teachers in high-quality, research backed explicit, systematic, and sequential reading instruction
· implementing the Year 1 Phonics Check to identify students who require additional support in learning early and before they fall behind. Other age-normed screening tools should be used to identify children in other years who are struggling.
· providing appropriate evidence-based instruction to the whole class with additional small group tutoring and one-on-one support provided to students who are falling behind so that they can catch up with their classmates
· training pre-service teachers in the skills required for reading at university.”
“The evidence shows that an initial investment of $11 million in an evidence-based education reform package will lead to students in the ACT earning an additional $198 million over their lifetimes – about 18 times the cost of the package.”
Quotes attributable to Scarlett Gaffey – from The Snow Foundation
“The Snow Foundation is very pleased to see the establishment of this Inquiry. We believe every child deserves a solid foundation in literacy. It's not just about reading words but about opening doors to knowledge, opportunities, and a fulfilling life.”
"Our family is focussed on breaking down the barriers that create disadvantage in our community, barriers like an unbalanced and outdated education model.”
“If we are to grow and succeed as a society and as a community, we must ensure equality in education practice. Reading is a fundamental building block to life, and we commend this action by the ACT Government to ensure every child has access to the best possible literacy education.”
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Media contact: act.aebe@gmail.com
Media Release: Submission to the National School Reform Agreement (NSRA) Expert Panel
Canberra, 27 July 2023 - The Alliance for Evidence-Based Education has raised concerns about the current literacy rates in the ACT. It has been reported that one in three students in Canberra lack proficient reading skills by the time they reach Year 9. However, this issue is not unique to the ACT. It is prevalent across Australia, To address this issue, the Alliance is urging the NSRA Expert Panel to recommend national reforms that prioritise quality education and ensure equal access to it for all students.
The Alliance’s submission calls for a national literacy reform initiative comprising five key elements:
National implementation of standardised universal screening to ensure all students are on track and to identify those who require additional support
National implementation of a systematic response to intervention model providing evidence-based instruction for all students with small group tutoring and one-on-one support for those who require additional help
National support for high-quality curriculum and instruction, empowering an independent body to provide evidence-based instructional guidance and protocols for early reading instruction and interventions
National investment in quality teaching, supported by clear standards linked to accreditation with training and coaching provided for in-service teachers
Increased transparency and accountability regarding data, especially for students with disabilities
By adopting these elements, we can significantly improve literacy outcomes for all students and foster a culture of accountability thus breaking the predictability of achievement based on socio-economic status and providing equal opportunities for student success.
To read the full submission, please click on the link below:
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Media contact: act.aebe@gmail.com
Media Release: ACT Budget Exacerbates 'Wait to Fail' Model in Education
Canberra, 28 June 2023 - The 2023 ACT Budget has let down Canberra parents, teachers and students by failing to provide funding for basic evidenced-based approaches to literacy instruction, already being implemented across the country.
With one in three students reaching Year 9 in Canberra without proficient reading skills, the Alliance for Evidence-Based Education is calling on the ACT Government to take urgent action to ensure all children learn to read in public primary schools”.
The call comes following the release of two major reports on this issue, including one by local Churchill Fellow, Jessica Colleu Terradas on the chronic need for support for struggling readers across Australia, and another by Equity Economics, which highlights the investments required by the ACT Government to ensure children in the ACT don’t get left behind.
“Despite robust evidence indicating that reading difficulties can be prevented and overcome through early identification and evidence-based instruction, a significant number of students in the ACT struggle with reading,” author of the Equity Economics report Jessica Del Rio said. “These challenges are evident in assessments such as NAPLAN, yet the current system fails to intervene early and effectively, resulting in an increasing number of students with low literacy in high school.”
Both reports emphasise the need for the government school system in the ACT to work consistently to ensure no child leaves primary school without proficient reading skills. They recommend the implementation of universal screening checks, high-quality evidence-based instruction for all students, and additional support for those who require further assistance.
“Remarkably, the ACT is one of the few jurisdictions in Australia that does not use the Year 1 Phonics check, and this budget does nothing to change that. Nor has the budget funded the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum 9.0.” Ms Del Rio noted that this is at odds with the investment being made by other states and territories. “Other jurisdictions such as New South Wales invested $4.3 million in purchasing the decodable texts required by beginner readers under the Curriculum. South Australia has invested $36 million in a long-term investment in coaching for teachers. Last year Western Australia announced $3 million for the continuation of the Centre for Excellence in the Explicit Teaching of Literacy focusing on the teaching approaches of exemplary educators. In Australia, approximately $1.5 billion has been allocated for COVID catch-up tuition, specifically targeting students who have faced challenges following the pandemic-induced lockdowns. A significant portion of this funding has been expended in New South Wales and Victoria.”
A decade ago, in 2013, the ACT Taskforce on Students with Learning Difficulties emphasised the need for a consistent systemic approach to address the learning needs of students with difficulties across ACT schools. Despite this taskforce, little has changed in a decade.
Jen Cross OAM, a member of the Taskforce and the Alliance, stated, "After the Taskforce, I believed that the ACT Government would provide small group explicit instruction tuition for all students who needed it. However, ten years later, parents and teachers are informing me that this support is not universally available across all ACT public schools. Access to this support should not be a matter of chance. Every child in need of evidence-based small group support should have the opportunity to access it and enhance their reading skills at school. How many more reports does the ACT Government need? Every child has the right to read."
“In reality, parents are hurting financially right now. So in addition to the increased cost of living, the burden of extra private tuition and having to change schools to support their child’s learning needs is too much. The time to act is now.”
The Equity Economics report has recommended the ACT Government provide immediate investment including:
A commitment to improve literacy outcomes for students in ACT Government schools and set targets to reduce the proportion of students not meeting basic literacy levels.
$11 million in an evidence-based literacy reform package, including funds for curriculum development, decodable readers, professional development, the Year 1 Phonics Check, and small group intervention support.
Collaboration with local universities to ensure Initial Teacher Education programs align with evidence-based literacy instructional practices.
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Media contact: Chris Wagner 0434 378 939
Media Release: ACT Government Urged to Take Immediate Action to Improve Literacy Outcomes
A new report by Equity Economics has revealed that a significant number of students in the ACT are struggling to meet literacy benchmarks, with alarming implications for their education and future success.
The report indicates that one in three 15-year-old students in the ACT fall below the national proficient standard for reading, as measured by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). That rate, applied to all Canberra’s school kids, would be enough to fill Bruce Stadium.
The report calls upon the ACT Government to implement evidence-based strategies to improve literacy outcomes for all students.
“These concerning statistics not only reflect national trends, but also reveal the extent of educational inequity within the ACT,” report co-author Jessica Del Rio said. “The report highlights that the ACT education system ranks among the most inequitable in Australia, with disadvantaged students and certain cohorts, such as those whose parents did not complete high school and First Nations students, experiencing even greater challenges.
“The ACT has an opportunity to lead the nation in providing gold standard evidence-based classroom practices to lift literacy rates and to dismantle the predictability of achievement by socio-economic status.”
“The economic benefits of investing in literacy in schools are evident, with projections indicating that an $11 million investment in evidence-based strategies could yield an additional $200 million in lifetime earnings for ACT students. This makes sense, and it’s an approach a progressive city like Canberra can embrace.”
The report’s recommendations have been endorsed by Professor Rauno Parrila, Director of the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, at the Australian Catholic University.
“Based on publicly available data, this report paints a familiar picture of an education system trapped in outdated practices. Unfortunately, these practices have never been optimal for children’s learning or for reducing inequity in educational outcomes, as the evidence reviewed in this report also clearly shows. Year after year, far too many children fail to develop functional literacy skills despite the best efforts of their teachers. The recommendations this report makes are eminently sensible and would go a long way to improving literacy education in ACT, and in many other jurisdictions as well,” Professor Parrila said.
The Equity Economics report proposes five essential steps for the ACT Government to undertake.
Adoption of a high-quality, low-variance curriculum: The report emphasises the importance of implementing the Australian Curriculum, which requires teaching children how to sound out words. Many schools in Australia (and in the ACT) teach students to guess unknown words which is not an effective reading strategy. An investment is required in high-quality comprehensive early reading curriculum materials for teachers and students covering lesson plans, teaching materials, student workbooks, decodable readers and assessments.
Providing principals and teachers with professional development in the skills necessary for reading. Many Initial Teacher Education graduates across Australia are leaving university underprepared to teach children how to read. The report suggests that an investment is required in professional training and coaching for principals and teachers in effective teaching practices and the necessary skills for reading.
Effective use of data, measurement, and universal screening: The ACT has not yet announced implementation of the Year 1 Phonics Check, a valuable tool for identifying students who may be struggling to learn to read. It is one of the last states that have not yet supported it. The ACT Government is encouraged to prioritise the implementation of this screening tool to proactively find those children who are struggling, rather than waiting for them to fail.
Adoption of a systematic approach to intervention: Based on anecdotal evidence ACT schools do not have a consistent approach to providing additional intervention support to those students who need it. The report emphasises the need for small group tutoring and one on one support for students who are struggling with literacy so that they can catch up with their peers.
Enhancement of Initial Teacher Education: The report recommends a partnership between the ACT Government and local universities to ensure that Initial Teacher Education programs align with evidence-based practices and the updated Australian Curriculum. The establishment of a reading clinic at a local campus is also proposed to provide targeted intervention for students requiring additional support.
Jen Cross, co-founder of the ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education said, “Parents are becoming increasingly aware that their children are being taught to guess words while learning to read in local schools. They are concerned that their children will struggle with reading if they don’t take action to address the issue. Many teachers are also questioning why they were not equipped with the necessary skills to teach reading effectively during their university education. They are seeking ways to access training and support to improve their teaching methods. As a community, we should strive to improve literacy rates and address inequity in our schools. Everyone deserves the right to read.”
Parent and speech pathologist Scarlett Gaffey added, “Every child deserves a solid foundation in literacy. Every day I see children coming into my practice who have been taught to guess words which is a strategy used by poor readers, not by strong readers, and it’s actually harmful for some kids, who never drop the habit. Kids are often instructional casualties where there is no real reason why they can’t learn to read except they have not been taught well enough. The research and Australian Curriculum says schools should be teaching kids to sound out words yet, in Canberra that is often not the case. Implementing evidence-based strategies, such as a high-quality curriculum and providing training for teachers, can make a significant difference. Investing in our children's education is an investment in their future.
The report, created with support from the Snow Foundation, concludes with three key recommendations for the ACT Government:
Make a commitment to improve literacy outcomes for students in ACT Government schools and set targets to reduce the proportion of students not meeting basic literacy levels.
Invest $11 million in an evidence-based literacy reform package, including funds for curriculum development, decodable readers, professional development, the Year 1 Phonics Check, and small group intervention support.
Collaborate with local universities to ensure Initial Teacher Education programs align with evidence-based literacy instructional practices.
The report highlights successful local examples, such as Catholic primary schools in the ACT which have achieved significant improvements in literacy outcomes through a program called Catalyst. By investing in evidence-based practices, implementing a low-variance curriculum, and providing training and coaching for teachers, these schools have significantly lifted the performance of their students.
ENDS
Media contact: Chris Wagner 0434 378 939
Media Release: Submission to the 2023/2024 ACT Government Budget
The ACT Alliance for Evidence-Based Education, comprising concerned teachers, academics, speech pathologists, parents, and researchers, has submitted a proposal to the ACT Government to improve literacy outcomes in ACT schools in the next Budget.
The 2023-24 Budget must include an education reform package that fully funds the following measures to support the proper implementation of the new Australian Curriculum V 9.0.
Establish a literacy task force headed by a Chief Literacy Officer (with extensive knowledge of literacy instruction informed by the science of reading and learning) overseeing a team of literacy coaches to provide training for teachers in the explicit and systematic instruction of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Mandate a universal Year 1 phonics screening check, with relief time for teachers to conduct the checks, analyse the results and implement appropriate targeted support for students.
Provide decodable readers for students in Kindergarten and Year 1.
To read the full submission, please click on the link below: