School decile ratings released

26 November, 2014

School decile ratings released

The Ministry of Education has today released the new decile ratings for the country’s 2,406 state and state-integrated schools.

“Over the last two weeks we have contacted all schools to let them know their ratings, which are recalculated after each census,” says the Ministry’s Deputy Secretary for Student Achievement Graham Stoop.

“For those schools who have had a reduction in funding, we have also explained that this time there will be an 18-month transition before the changes take full effect.

“Decile ratings, which take into account five different factors that measure disadvantage in a school community, aren’t perfect. But at the moment they are the best tool we have to make sure that the schools in greatest need get extra resources for their students.

“There are several reasons a school’s position in the decile ratings may change. It can be due to any of these factors, or a combination:
• A change in the mixture of students attending a school
• A change in circumstances of the community children come from
• A change in the school community’s position in relation to all other schools in New Zealand

“We will be working closely with schools to give them any support they need to adjust to changes. It’s important to remember a school’s decile rating does not reflect the quality of education a school provides. The quality of teaching and leadership at a school are the most important factors in lifting student achievement,” says Dr Stoop.

2015 school decile ratings and information about deciles can be found here.

Information on school by school funding changes will be published in mid-December.

Note on decile funding steps: For schools with ratings of Deciles 1-4, there are three funding steps within each of those deciles. These steps are Deciles 1a, 1b and 1c; Deciles 2d, 2e, and 2f, and so on. Deciles 5-10 do not have additional funding steps.

ENDS

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