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Who wins the game? Changing accountability and funding of Australian schools

Who wins the game? Changing accountability and funding of Australian schools. Bruce Gurd University of South Australia Discussant : Cameron Graham Schulich School of Business. Overview of the Paper. Introduction Understanding the theory of the game

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Who wins the game? Changing accountability and funding of Australian schools

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  1. Who wins the game? Changing accountability and funding of Australian schools Bruce Gurd University of South Australia Discussant:Cameron Graham Schulich School of Business

  2. Overview of the Paper • Introduction • Understanding the theory of the game • Exploring the game of fundingand accountability of schools • Discussion • Conclusions

  3. Introduction • Gonski Committee (2009-2011) • National review of education funding • Recommended increase of $6 billion per annum • Accountability • “School” as unit of accountability • Education outcomes • Fiscal accountability • Drive for data & measurement

  4. Theory of the Game • Elias’s game theory • Processual sociology • Figurations • Interdependent networks of people • Mutually oriented • Historically produced & reproduced • Unintentional interdependencies produce unintended consequences • Power • Complexity

  5. Exploring the Game:Funding and accountability of schools Actors • Non-governmental schools • Catholic (over 200 years ago) • Lutheran • Independent Schools Australia • State governments • Government schools (since 1872) • Curriculum and regulatory standards • Federal government • Funding • Parents • Government vs. non-government • Australian education union • Subsumes teachers

  6. Exploring the game … Overview • Education responsibility is at state level • Funding is at federal level • Gonskireview not allowed to recommend cuts

  7. Exploring the game … Chronology • Rhetoric of “accountability” • Schools Assistance Act (2004) • Ruddgovernment (2007-2013) • National curriculum & skills testing • Investments in IT • Accountability requirements • Gonskicommission • Heavily influenced by wealthy stakeholders • Funding formula: disability, indigeneity, etc. • Liberal/National government (2013) • Tried to dismiss Gonski report, but had to back down

  8. Exploring the game … Mechanisms • 13 KPIs • Professional engagement of teachers • Student outcomes • Results • Retention • Post-school destinations • Satisfaction of stakeholders • “Australian Schools Agenda” • Funding contingencies • Flying national flag • Singing national anthem • Clear student reports to parents

  9. Exploring the game … MySchool Website • Set up by Labor government • Allowed comparison of school performances • Showed resources were not sole success factor • Reaction • Teachers & academics • Overemphasis on basic skills • Parents • Good performance feedback • Shows desirable schools • Non-gov’t funding sources still not transparent

  10. Exploring the game … Shift in Focus • By 2012 • Many overlapping programs to improve schools • Focus on performance, not finance • In 2012 • Collapse of 3 non-gov’t schools in Victoria • Australian School Performance Institute • “Data-driven accountability” • In 2013 • Liberal gov’t to give principals autonomy • Resistance from state Liberal governments

  11. Discussion • Unique situation • Federal funding (unlike Canada) • Gov’t funding of church schools (unlike US) • Federal government • Power to press for conformance • Can by-pass states and go directly to schools • Constraints • Non-gov’t school parents • Gov’t school parents and unions • International education comparison processes • Relatively high cooperation between groups

  12. Conclusions • Situation • Gradual ratcheting up of accountability • Increased transparency • Actors • Teachers and unions exert influence • Parents not highly mobilized • Non-gov’t schools • Socialization into a particular class or peer group • Specific religious or other values • Adds to public sector literature • Resource provision and resistance (Dopson 2005)

  13. Discussant Comments Overall Assessment • Important topic • Clear event (Gonskicommission) • Potential to examine accountability • Next step: detailed data!

  14. Discussant Comments Suggestions 1 • Engage with literature • Much written about public sector accountability • Figure out what this can contribute • Provide a clear story line • Focus on main events • Provide a clear chronology • Look at “how” • Accounting reports • Measurements • Specific funding contingencies

  15. DiscussantComments Suggestions 2 • Need details • Government reports • Gonski commission • Union statements • MySchool website • How parents use data • Analysis • Draw more heavily on theory

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