Success The Only Option For NZ Students

Success The Only Option For NZ Students

ACT Deputy Leader and Inter-Party Working Group (IPWG) on School Choice Chair Heather Roy was today pleased to announce the release of the report 'Step Change: Success The Only Option' - the culmination of a year of studying current education practice in New Zealand, and best practice around the world.

"Provided for in the National-ACT Confidence & Supply Agreement the IPWG was established in April with National, Maori and ACT Party representatives - Hekia Parata, Chester Borrows, Jonathan Young, Te Ururoa Flavell, Sir Roger Douglas and myself as Chairperson," Mrs Roy said.

"The Group's task was to report on policy options relating to the funding and regulation of schools that will increase parental choice and school autonomy and our work has been put into two reports - 'Step Change: Success the Only Option' and a minority report 'Free to Learn'.

"Supported by all IPWG members, 'Step Change: Success the Only Option' acknowledges that better educational outcomes are possible for all students but focuses on those most in need and whom the education system is not serving effectively - the 20 percent who are failing and the five percent who are gifted and talented.

"The report recommends an initiative directed at improving outcomes for these students that, in time, could be applied to the entire system.

"We expect that there will be several permutations of this initiative. One important factor is the optional inclusion of a learning broker mentor - students would be able to opt for the support of a learning broker mentor to assist them and their families with their selection and negotiations with the chosen provider.

"If the initiative is successful the Inter-Party Working Group would like to see this extended to the remaining 75 percent of students to create an improved and effective education system in New Zealand," Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

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