School attendance
2752. Hon Alison Xamon to the Minister for Energy representing the Minister for Education
I refer to the Budget papers page 357 sixth dot point, and ask —
(1) I refer to the efforts to tackle the, ‘complex issues which impact on student educational outcomes’, what support is the Department of Education giving to students, who are young parents, particularly mothers?
(2) Regarding the increased need to improve school attendance, The Auditor General recommended the Department of Education, ‘publicise and promote the importance of regular school attendance to parents, students and the community’, how much money has been allocated to a campaign to promote the importance of regular school attendance?
(3) What other money is going to improving attendance?
(4) Which schools are getting extra resources?
(5) Are specific year groups being targeted?
(6) If yes to (5), which ones?
(7) What investigation has gone into determining the causes of poor attendance to better target improvement strategies?
(8) One of the issues identified in the Auditor General’s report was that the Department did not have adequate strategies for collecting and monitoring attendance figures across the State, has this been improved?
Hon PETER COLLIER replied:
(1) Students who are young parents, particularly mothers can access a range of academic and pastoral caresupport at their enrolled school. The following programs provide targeted support for pregnant and parenting students:
• The Schools of Isolated and Distance Education (SIDE);
• Balga Teen Family Centre;
• Mandurah Senior Campus — Eyes Wide Open; and
• Fremantle and Sevenoaks Fast Track programs.
(2) $200 000 was allocated to a Statewide communication strategy.
(3) The Department of Education has allocated an annual budget of $3.4m over three years to the Better attendance: Brighter futures strategy. A further $4.11m annually has been allocated for Aboriginal Education Attendance Grants to schools under the Commonwealth Government's National Education Agreement.
(4) One hundred and one schools have been allocated additional funding by the Department (refer to attachment). [See paper 2699.]
(5) No. Schools develop a plan to address their local needs.
(6) Not applicable.
(7) The Department commenced research in 2010. Preliminary research was presented at a seminar for principals on 6 September 2010. The Department has commenced a project specifically on the causes of non-attendance to be completed by early 2011.
(8) Yes. This work is planned under the Better attendance: Brighter futures strategy and has a three year timeline. As at 10 September 2010 the following has been achieved:
• The number of attendance codes schools can use to analyse data has been increased;
• Watchlist (an electronic alert to the low attendance of students) has been introduced and is now being used by 60 schools; and
• The expansion of the Student Attendance Audit data analysis to allow real-time monitoring by schools is in the final planning stage.