Major new approach to lifting student achievement

Education Minister Anne Tolley has today announced a major new approach to lifting achievement for all students, alongside the $36 million in support for schools identified as needing extra help through National Standards.

“Schools will now receive direct and focused Ministry of Education support,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Principals and teachers have told me that this is the kind of direct assistance which has been needed for a long time, and I’ve instructed the Ministry to make significant changes to the way it operates.

“Up until now it has concentrated on administering the system. From now on the Ministry will have a much stronger focus on frontline support in schools, as we give every young New Zealander the chance to reach their potential.

“National Standards will provide vital data on student achievement in reading, writing and maths, which will enable support and resources to go where they are most needed.”

There are three core elements to the new approach.

Firstly, expert practitioners from the Ministry and the education sector will be appointed to work closely with schools and build strong relationships.

“These experts will have proven ability in lifting student achievement, and will give specially-designed support to schools to meet the specific needs of their students and teachers. They will use student data to assess where support will be most effective, and make sure schools get help much earlier.”

Secondly, the $36 million announced for National Standards in Budget 2009 will go towards new intervention programmes being developed for students who need extra support in reading, writing and maths, over and above good classroom teaching.

“One in five of our children are being failed by the schooling system,” says Mrs Tolley.

“National Standards will help us identify which children are struggling, and this next stage in the process will help schools to get these students back on track.

“We need programmes in place that provide tailored, specific and concentrated support for students and for teachers.

“These programmes will be monitored closely to make sure they are making a difference in classrooms.

“Lastly, I have asked the Ministry to redesign its approach to professional development for principals and teachers.

“The Government invests $86 million a year in this area, and we need to make it much more targeted, to ensure it helps schools lift student achievement.

“A range of organisations will now be able to bid for funding to supply professional development, with the Ministry selecting high-quality providers with proven skills in providing support that accelerates student progress, across all subject areas.

“This recognises that our teaching professionals want to do a good job for their students, and deserve quality support so they can keep up with the latest developments in effective teaching, leadership and assessment practices.”

Work on the new approach to lifting student achievement will begin straight away, initially focusing on primary and intermediate schools, and will be fully operational by June 2011. A wider plan will be developed for secondary schools and rolled out to them in 2012.

“This intense frontline focus is needed to ensure that every student is on track to achieve at least NCEA Level 2,” says Mrs Tolley.

“It is an exciting and innovative way forward for schooling, as the Government delivers on our promise to give every child in New Zealand the opportunity to succeed.”

ENDS

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