Notice to Readers

Posted on Monday October 30, 2017

SOS will return to regular posts in late November >> Read on...

Media Release: End the Corruption of Private School Funding

Posted on Sunday November 20, 2016

SOS submission to national education ministers’ council calls for an end to the corruption of private school funding. >> Read on...

Media Release: Education Disadvantage is the Forgotten Issue in the ACT Election Campaign

Posted on Wednesday October 5, 2016

Education disadvantage is the forgotten issue in the ACT election campaign despite its importance to the Territory’s social well-being and economic prosperity >> Read on...

Media Release: New Figures Show that Government Funding Has Massively Favoured Private Schools

Posted on Monday February 15, 2016

Updated school funding figures published today by Save Our Schools show that government funding per student in private schools has far outstripped that for public schools over the past 15 years and that increases in government funding for many elite private schools has far exceeded that for many disadvantaged public schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: Government Could Easily Fund Gonski Plan

Posted on Wednesday January 13, 2016

SOS analysis shows that the Federal Government could easily fund the last two years of the Gonski plan. >> Read on...

Completing Secondary School Increases Employment Prospects

Posted on Wednesday September 9, 2015

New OECD brief shows dramatic improvement in Year 12 completion in Australia in the last 30 years, but there is room for further improvement. Completing school increases employment prospects and future earnings. >> Read on...

Media Release: P-TECH Schools Are Unproven and Threaten Public Education

Posted on Monday May 25, 2015

Save Our Schools today called for public consultation and scrutiny of the P-TECH schools proposed for Ballarat and Geelong and sponsored by the giant IT multinational IBM. >> Read on...

Media Release: Andrews Govt Is On a ‘Unity Ticket’ With Abbott & Pyne

Posted on Saturday March 7, 2015

The Andrews Government has a “unity ticket” with the Abbot Government to refuse to fund the last two years of the Gonski plan. It will have a devastating effect on schools in Victoria, especially public schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: Public Schools are the Equal of Private Schools

Posted on Sunday January 18, 2015

A new analysis of school NAPLAN test results published by Save Our Schools shows that the results in public schools are just as good as those in private schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: Call to Keep Funding Loadings for Disadvantaged Students

Posted on Thursday October 16, 2014

A proposal by Independent Schools Victoria to remove additional funding for highly disadvantaged schools is hypocritical, disingenuous and indefensible. It ignores a corpus of research evidence that supports more funding for disadvantaged schools. >> Read on...

Media Release:Uninvited Submission Calls for Gonski Plus Funding Loadings for Disadvantaged Students

Posted on Wednesday October 1, 2014

An uninvited submission from Save Our Schools to the Federal Government’s selective consultation on the Gonski funding loadings for disadvantaged students has called for the loadings to be increased. >> Read on...

Media Release: Public is Not Invited to Low SES Funding Loadings Review

Posted on Tuesday September 16, 2014

The Federal Government has confirmed that its review of the low SES funding loadings is not open to the public and is confined to selected invitees. The review is considering whether the loadings should be changed. >> Read on...

Media Release: Funding for Low SES Students is Under Threat by Secret and Biased Consultation

Posted on Monday September 8, 2014

The secrecy and biased representation of private schools in the Government’s consultation on low SES funding loadings is a threat to the future funding of low SES students and schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: Call For Senate Inquiry into the National Curriculum

Posted on Monday January 13, 2014

SOS has called on ALP and Green Senators to establish a Senate inquiry into the national curriculum. SOS believes this will provide a better chance for a thorough and balanced review than one conducted by partisan critics. >> Read on...

Media Release: PISA Test Results Prove that Increased Funding Should be Allocated to Disadvantaged Students and Schools

Posted on Thursday December 5, 2013

The new PISA international test results highlight the need for a new funding scheme that directs more money to disadvantaged schools and students. >> Read on...

Directorate of Education Figures Refute Minister’s Claims on Private School Registration Panels

Posted on Tuesday July 30, 2013

Official figures show that the registration of private schools in the ACT is now being decided by a “club” of private school interests. Regulations requiring registration panels to be independent are being ignored by the Minister for Education. >> Read on...

Education Minister Should be Sacked for Turning the Approval Process for New Private Schools into a Shambles

Posted on Tuesday May 14, 2013

Save Our Schools has called on the ACT Chief Minister to sack her Education Minister and overhaul the approval process for new private schools in Canberra because the Education Minister has turned the approval process into a shambles. >> Read on...

Media Release: Conspiracy of Silence About the Right to Withdraw Children from NAPLAN Tests

Posted on Monday May 13, 2013

There is a conspiracy of silence amongst education authorities about the right of parents to withdraw their children from the NAPLAN tests which begin Tuesday. >> Read on...

Media Release: Secret Approval of New ACT Private Schools Is Farcical and Cowardly

Posted on Wednesday May 8, 2013

The ACT Minister for Education gave secret approval last December for three new private schools in Canberra. A new private school in north-west Belconnen will draw enrolments from existing schools in Belconnen, add to excess capacity and threaten the future of some schools >> Read on...

ACARA Head is Mistaken on Test-Based Accountability

Posted on Monday April 15, 2013

The head of ACARA is incorrect in claiming that Australia is avoiding the US-style consequences of high stakes testing accountability. Australia is introducing payments to governments, schools and teachers based on test results which create incentives to cheat, rig results and narrow the curriculum. >> Read on...

Media Release: Outrageous that Rich Schools Decide Funding for the Disadvantaged

Posted on Tuesday March 26, 2013

SOS says that it is outrageous that the Independent Schools Council of Australia, representing the wealthiest schools in Australia, gets to negotiate the funding loadings for disadvantaged students while representatives of government schools are excluded from negotiations. Government schools enrol the vast majority of disadvantaged students. >> Read on...

Media Release: More Collaboration is Needed to Counter the Damage by School Autonomy

Posted on Tuesday February 5, 2013

Save Our Schools says that school autonomy will undermine the spread of best practice teaching and learning between schools. It calls for more government support for collaboration between schools to counter the incentives created by school autonomy >> Read on...

Media Release: Urgent Action is Needed on Shameful ACT School Results

Posted on Thursday October 11, 2012

A research paper by Save Our Schools shows that ACT school results have fallen since 2001 and that achievement gaps between the top and bottom students are amongst the largest of all developed countries. >> Read on...

Restrict Funding Increases for Wealthy Private Schools

Posted on Friday August 31, 2012

Save Our Schools has called on the Federal Government to restrict future funding increases for wealthier private schools. The commitments announced by the Prime Minister are likely to increase funding for higher SES private schools by nearly $2 billion. This increase will reduce the Gonski funding pool for low SES government and private schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: School Autonomy is Not the Success Claimed

Posted on Wednesday June 13, 2012

A review of research studies on school autonomy in several countries published by Save Our Schools says that there is little evidence to support the claim of the Federal and NSW Governments that it will increase student achievement. >> Read on...

Media Release: New Private Schools Use Loophole to Get More Funding

Posted on Tuesday May 29, 2012

Two Canberra private schools are exploiting a funding loophole in the SES funding model to gain $2.4 million a year in additional funding by establishing new campuses of existing schools rather than new stand alone schools.< >> Read on...

Media Release: ACARA Disqualifies Itself from Assessing the Impact of NAPLAN

Posted on Tuesday May 15, 2012

A national assessment of the impact of NAPLAN should be re-commissioned by the national education ministers’ council. Reported statements by ACARA officials today dismissing claims about excessive test practice and narrowing of the curriculum show that it is incapable of doing a balanced assessment.< >> Read on...

Media Release: NAPLAN is a Cancer Eating Away at Education

Posted on Monday May 14, 2012

NAPLAN is having a pernicious effect on schooling. It is distorting teaching practice, reducing creativity and fun of learning, denying students in-depth learning experiences and sidelining other key subjects such as science, history, languages and the arts for much of first semester.< >> Read on...

Media Release: Education Authorities Are Misleading Parents on Withdrawal from NAPLAN Tests

Posted on Friday May 4, 2012

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and other education authorities are failing to inform parents that NAPLAN tests are not compulsory and that they can withdraw their children from the tests. Many teachers and principals are also unaware that the tests are not compulsory. >> Read on...

Media Release: Report Says Wealthy Catholic Schools are Over-Funded

Posted on Wednesday April 4, 2012

Virtually all high income Catholic schools are over-funded. An SOS research paper shows that the claims of Catholic education authorities that they re-distribute funds from high income to low income Catholic schools are misleading and untrue in many cases. >> Read on...

Media Release: Outlandish Funding Bonanza for Private Schools

Posted on Wednesday December 7, 2011

A research report published by Save Our Schools finds that two voucher models of school funding proposed to the Gonski Review would deliver billions of dollars in additional funding for private schools and no increases for government schools. The largest increases will go to the wealthiest private schools. < >> Read on...

Media Release: Gonski Review Should Disregard Private School Hysterics

Posted on Wednesday October 12, 2011

The SOS submission to the School Funding Review says that the commissioned research papers provide the foundation for a new funding model to improve equity in education outcomes. However, there are omissions and flaws which should be corrected. The Review Committee should disregard the hysterical response of private school organisations. >> Read on...

Research Studies Show that Small Schools Work

Posted on Monday July 4, 2011

A review of research studies on school size shows that small schools work. The review brings into question the Tasmanian Government’s claim that closing small schools will improve education outcomes. >> Read on...

Media Release: Education Minister in Breach of Education Act on School Closures

Posted on Tuesday June 21, 2011

The Tasmanian Greens Minister for Education, Nick McKim, has breached the Education Act by failing to publish impact statements on 20 schools in Tasmania earmarked for closure at the end of the year. The consultation on the closures is a sham and a farce. >> Read on...

Media Release: Teacher Bonuses are Another Failed Scheme from New York

Posted on Monday May 2, 2011

The Prime Minister’s new teacher bonus scheme is yet another failed scheme of her ‘hero’, former New York City Schools Chancellor, Joel Klein. Research evidence shows that it is doomed to fail like Klein’s scheme. >> Read on...

Media Release: Call for New Funding Model for Govt & Private Schools

Posted on Wednesday April 20, 2011

Save Our Schools has called for a new funding model for government and private schools. >> Read on...

Media Release: Call for Public Inquiry into Deteriorating Education Results in the ACT

Posted on Thursday December 9, 2010

The latest international test results for the ACT are a condemnation of the education record of the Stanhope Government. The new PISA report shows that education quality is declining and inequity is increasing in the ACT. >> Read on...

Media Release: PISA Results Demand a Massive Increase in Funding for Government Schools

Posted on Wednesday December 8, 2010

Save Our Schools today called for a massive boost in funding for government schools in the light of the new PISA results released yesterday. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that the new results are a national disgrace. >> Read on...

Media Release: Call to Scrap Like School Comparisons on My School

Posted on Tuesday November 23, 2010

Save Our Schools calls for like school comparisons on My School to be scrapped because of gaps in the data used to construct like school groups. As a result, so-called like school comparisons will be biased against low SES government and private schools.< >> Read on...

Media Release - 2 November 2010: Report Calls for Funding Boost to Government Schools to Reduce Education Disadvantage

Posted on Tuesday November 2, 2010

A new report published today by the advocacy group Save Our Schools says that government schools are badly under-resourced in comparison to private schools to deal with education disadvantage. >> Read on...

Media Release: Teacher Bonuses Fail to Improve Student Results

Posted on Monday August 16, 2010

The weight of research evidence is that teacher performance bonuses do not improve student results. Yet again, faith has ruled over evidence in the formulation of education policy. >> Read on...

Media Release: School Rewards Will Encourage Poaching and Cheating

Posted on Tuesday August 10, 2010

Rewards for schools which most improve their results will encourage them to cheat and rort their results, poach high achieving students from each other and discriminate against other students. >> Read on...

Media Release, 17 May 2010: Rorting of School Results Will Continue on a Grander Scale Unless Gillard Acts

Posted on Monday May 17, 2010

Save Our Schools has warned that the administrative guidelines for NAPLAN provide loopholes for schools to rort their results by excluding lower achieving students. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, called on the Federal Education Minister to shut the gate she has left open to fraud in reporting school results. >> Read on...

Media Release, 10 May 2010: Call to Review Security of NAPLAN Tests to Stop Cheating

Posted on Monday May 10, 2010

The security arrangements for the national literacy and numeracy tests are inadequate to stop schools cheating on their results. The stakes around the tests have increased but security for the tests has not been upgraded. Save Our Schools has called for a review of security for NAPLAN to stop schools cheating. >> Read on...

Media Release 2 May: School Funding Review Compromised by Overwhelming Conflict of Interest

Posted on Monday May 3, 2010

The school funding review announced by Julia Gillard is compromised by a major conflict of interest. The review is headed up by the chairman of the wealthy Sydney Grammar School which receives over $3.5 million in Commonwealth funding and has over double the resources of government schools. >> Read on...

Media Release, 5 April - Mr. Barr Fiddles the Figures – Yet Again!

Posted on Tuesday April 6, 2010

The ACT Education Minister has fiddled the figures yet again in claiming that school closures have delivered an increase in government school enrolments in Canberra. The facts show that government school enrolments have declined across the board since 2006. >> Read on...

Media Release 31 March 2010 - Call for Public Consultation by ACARA on My School Problems

Posted on Wednesday March 31, 2010

Save Our Schools, has written to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) calling on it to invite public submissions on the adverse consequences of My School. >> Read on...

Media Release 10 February 2010 - Call for Inquiry into Bias Against Government Schools on My School

Posted on Wednesday February 10, 2010

A study published today by Save Our Schools, a public education advocacy group, calls for a full independent public inquiry into ‘like school’ comparisons on the My School website. >> Read on...

Media Release 29 January 2010 - My School Comparisons Expose Hypocrisy of PM and Gillard

Posted on Thursday January 28, 2010

The Save Our Schools public education advocacy group today accused the Prime Minister and the Federal Education Minister of hypocrisy and duplicity about reporting school results. >> Read on...

Media Release January 19, 2010 - Boycott is the Only Answer to Gillard’s Intransigence on League Tables

Posted on Tuesday January 19, 2010

Save Our Schools today called on parents to support the planned teachers’ boycott of the national literacy and numeracy tests this year. >> Read on...

School closure whitewash fails community yet again

Posted on Wednesday December 23, 2009

The ACT Government’s response to the recommendations from the Assembly Inquiry into school closures is grossly inadequate and as misleading and dishonest as the initial school closure process. >> Read on...

Joint Media Statement - Tharwa, Flynn and Cook Parents and Citizens.

Posted on Tuesday September 29, 2009

Tharwa, Flynn and Cook parents and citizen associations (P&Cs) today called on the Labor, Liberal and Green Members of the Legislative Assembly to support a motion to re-open Primary Schools in Tharwa, Hall, Flynn and Cook. Hall P&C also welcome moves to re-open schools. >> Read on...

Media Release 20 September 2009 - ACT Education Minister Should Resign

Posted on Monday September 21, 2009

Save Our Schools today called on the ACT Minister for Education, Andrew Barr, to resign because he misused research evidence in his decisions to close schools. >> Read on...

Media Release 23 August 2009 - Islamic School Re-location Highlights Policy Contradictions

Posted on Sunday August 23, 2009

The Chief Minister’s announcement that his Government will consider re-locating the Islamic School to the CIT site at Weston has highlighted several policy contradictions. < >> Read on...

Media Release - School Comparisons Will Pit Rich Against Poor

Posted on Friday August 7, 2009

A study released by Save Our Schools, a public education advocacy group, shows that school comparisons for local areas to be released by the Federal Government later this year will pit rich schools against poor. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, called on the Federal Education Minister to ditch the publication of school comparisons in local areas. >> Read on...

New League Table Exposes Hollow Assurances

Posted on Wednesday July 15, 2009

A proposed new league table of Australian schools has exposed government assurances on the issue as hollow, Save Our Schools said today. < >> Read on...

Govt. Duplicity on League Tables Exposed

Posted on Wednesday May 6, 2009

Save Our Schools has accused the Federal Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, of deceiving the Australian public about the introduction of school league tables. < >> Read on...

Media Release 13 April 2009 - New Tests Will Impoverish Education

Posted on Monday April 13, 2009

The public education advocacy group Save Our Schools has accused the Rudd Government of turning classrooms into test preparation factories. >> Read on...

Call to Investigate Breach of Education Act on Urambi School Closure

Posted on Thursday February 12, 2009

Save Our Schools today accused the Minister for Education, Andrew Barr, of breaching the ACT Education Act in the consultation over Urambi Primary School. >> Read on...

Minister Launches Another Farcical School Closure Consultation

Posted on Wednesday February 11, 2009

The consultation over Urambi Primary School is an unmitigated farce. >> Read on...

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