Building above-average Building above-average outcomes on a below outcomes on a below

average resource baseaverage resource base Susan PascoeSusan PascoeGraeme JaneGraeme Jane

Catholic Education Commission of Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, Australia Victoria, Australia

International Congress for School International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement - Effectiveness and Improvement -

ICSEI 2005ICSEI 2005

How one system of schooling organised How one system of schooling organised itself to build capacityitself to build capacity

The LiteratureThe Literature Background and ContextBackground and Context Systemic InitiativesSystemic Initiatives Contribution to Educational ProvisionContribution to Educational Provision Contribution to Community BuildingContribution to Community Building ConclusionsConclusions

The LiteratureThe Literature

Research on system wide education Research on system wide education reformreform

Research commissioned by the Catholic Research commissioned by the Catholic Education Commission of VictoriaEducation Commission of Victoria– Literacy AdvanceLiteracy Advance– Contribution to the Victorian CommunityContribution to the Victorian Community– Welfare needsWelfare needs– AffordabilityAffordability– Public and Private EducationPublic and Private Education

Structures and FundingStructures and Funding

136,200 students (CEOM)136,200 students (CEOM) 328 schools (CEOM)328 schools (CEOM) Parish schoolsParish schools Commonwealth, State and school feesCommonwealth, State and school fees Fewer resources than Government (21% Fewer resources than Government (21%

primary and 6% secondary) and primary and 6% secondary) and Independent schools (31% primary and Independent schools (31% primary and 33% secondary). 33% secondary).

Average School fees - $990 and $2990 Average School fees - $990 and $2990 High level of autonomyHigh level of autonomy

Systemic InitiativesSystemic Initiatives

Religious EducationReligious Education LiteracyLiteracy School Improvement ReportsSchool Improvement Reports Information and Communication Information and Communication

TechnologiesTechnologies Networked Learning CommunitiesNetworked Learning Communities

Religious EducationReligious Education

RE Curriculum FrameworksRE Curriculum Frameworks Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Exemplar materials (Exemplar materials (RESourceRESource)) Formal study for RE CoordinatorsFormal study for RE Coordinators

– 50 Master Degrees50 Master Degrees– 500 credentialed courses500 credentialed courses

LiteracyLiteracy

Literacy Advance StrategyLiteracy Advance Strategy Children’s Literacy and Success Children’s Literacy and Success

StrategyStrategy Ongoing research and development Ongoing research and development CLaSS is voluntary with 79% take-upCLaSS is voluntary with 79% take-up Building Literacy 3 to 4 Building Literacy 3 to 4 Middle Years Literacy Project.Middle Years Literacy Project.

School Improvement ReportsSchool Improvement Reports

Online reports for all schoolsOnline reports for all schools 6 key areas with 16 reports6 key areas with 16 reports Summative reports over time and Summative reports over time and

comparison reports with Like schoolscomparison reports with Like schools Indicators and targets for key policy Indicators and targets for key policy

objectivesobjectives

School Improvement ReportsSchool Improvement Reports

Information and Communication Information and Communication TechnologiesTechnologies

Four key dimensions:Four key dimensions:– HardwareHardware– ConnectivityConnectivity– Digital contentDigital content– Professional developmentProfessional development

Information and Support Information and Support PortalPortal Standards (myinternet)Standards (myinternet) Core Infrastructure (Internet service)Core Infrastructure (Internet service)

Information and Support PortalInformation and Support Portal

Networked Learning CommunitiesNetworked Learning Communities

eNetworks using eNetworks using myclassesmyclasses Networks to:Networks to:

– CommunicateCommunicate– CollaborateCollaborate– Share best practice resourcesShare best practice resources

Networks of:Networks of:– PrincipalsPrincipals– Curriculum and program coordinatorsCurriculum and program coordinators– School leadersSchool leaders

Features of initiatives Features of initiatives

Building social capitalBuilding social capital

Evidence and research basedEvidence and research based

Extensive support and collaborationExtensive support and collaboration

Infrastructure and StandardsInfrastructure and Standards

Contribution to Education ProvisionContribution to Education Provision

Literacy Results Literacy Results

Results expressed as percentages of Results expressed as percentages of students in CSF levels by school sector in students in CSF levels by school sector in Reading Reading –– Catholic and All students, 2002Catholic and All students, 2002

Year 3 Reading

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Below Expected Expected Above Expected

Catholic All schools

CLaSS ResultsCLaSS Results

CLaSS- Key FactorsCLaSS- Key Factors

1.1. Systemic, evidence based strategySystemic, evidence based strategy2.2. Ownership at the school levelOwnership at the school level3.3. Proven and consistent designProven and consistent design4.4. Phased roll-outPhased roll-out5.5. Professional development modelProfessional development model6.6. FacilitatorsFacilitators7.7. Use of dataUse of data8.8. Receptive teachersReceptive teachers9.9. Instructional LeadershipInstructional Leadership10.10. Beliefs and expectationsBeliefs and expectations

VCE ResultsVCE Results

Mean VCE Score, Males, by SES decile, adjusted for Mean VCE Score, Males, by SES decile, adjusted for ability 2003, Catholic/Total (%)ability 2003, Catholic/Total (%)

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

LowSES

HighSES

VCE ResultsVCE Results

% of VCE Subjects where the actual VCE scores are above the % of VCE Subjects where the actual VCE scores are above the predicted scores adjusted for student ability, gender and predicted scores adjusted for student ability, gender and the average ability of the group of students in the schoolthe average ability of the group of students in the school

Transition to UniversityTransition to University2002 Transition Rate to University2002 Transition Rate to University

(% of VCE Completers):(% of VCE Completers):by School Type and SESby School Type and SES

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Highest Upper Middle Lower Middle LowestSES Level

TransitionRate to

University(% of VCE

completers)

Catholic All Schools

Contribution to Community BuildingContribution to Community Building

Strong social capital is put by the CSES Strong social capital is put by the CSES researchers as an explanation for the researchers as an explanation for the higher than average educational outcomes higher than average educational outcomes in Victorian Catholic schools at lower than in Victorian Catholic schools at lower than average costs. average costs.

Social capital in Catholic schools is linked Social capital in Catholic schools is linked to a variety of networks from the parish to a variety of networks from the parish and local community to religious, and local community to religious, professional and sporting groups as well professional and sporting groups as well as the presence of role models, religious as the presence of role models, religious traditions, beliefs and value systems. traditions, beliefs and value systems.

ConclusionConclusion

Social capital found in Catholic schools has Social capital found in Catholic schools has a positive impact on student outcomesa positive impact on student outcomes

Catholic schools make a key contribution Catholic schools make a key contribution to the wellbeing of local communities and to the wellbeing of local communities and to the economy to the economy

Catholic schools take seriously their Catholic schools take seriously their shared responsibility to community shared responsibility to community cohesion, nation building and economic cohesion, nation building and economic wellbeing. wellbeing.

The challenge for the future will be to The challenge for the future will be to maintain a Catholic ethos in an maintain a Catholic ethos in an increasingly secularised environment, to increasingly secularised environment, to achieve equitable funding and to maintain achieve equitable funding and to maintain above average performance in an above average performance in an increasingly competitive environment.increasingly competitive environment.

www.cecv.melb.catholic.edu.auwww.cecv.melb.catholic.edu.au

Under Research and Seminar PapersUnder Research and Seminar Papers