The government will present plans this year to trial a new type of school.
Charter schools, like those already running in the US, and being set up in the UK, will be trialled in South Auckland and Christchurch as per the National-Act Confidence and Supply Agreement signed after the last election.
Charter schools will be funded by the Government, just like regular state schools, but they will be given a longer leash.
Businesses, community groups, iwi or religious groups will all be able to apply to the government to establish and run the schools. They will be responsible for ensuring that their school remains financially viable and achieves the goals set out in its Charter.
They will be able to set their own curriculum and qualifications, teacher’s pay rates, term, and day-lengths as well as specialise in areas like arts, culture, music or vocational work.
Charter schools will be given significantly more freedom than state schools in the hope that this will enable them to innovate and lift achievement in low decile areas “where educational underperformance has become the norm.”
The trials provide an exciting opportunity for the education sector, but will need to be carried out carefully.
Mixed results
Charter schools in the US have had mixed results depending on many factors, such as who the school operators are, how their funding is arranged, what level of freedom they have and what type of students they cater for.
New Zealand can learn from these varied experiences, and should take the time to ensure that the details for our own charter schools arrangements provide the best opportunity for success.
For example, one area that that will need careful consideration is how accountability will function, given the freedom enjoyed by charter schools.
Where will the lines of governance fall between the organisation that sets up a charter school, and the school management?
Who will keep the schools accountable to their charter and vision?
The Education Review Office will play a role in watching over the schools, but the government must decide who will be responsible for giving groups the green light to start a charter school, or for closing them down if they fail.
These and other questions must be carefully considered.
Charter schools provide an opportunity to increase diversity and choice in our education sector, which could lead to real benefits for the worst-off students in our society. It is vital this opportunity is not missed.
National and ACT acknowledge that many New Zealand children are not achieving their potential in education and are leaving school ill-equipped to enter the workforce and with limited choices for their future.
Problem areas
Underachievement in education often compounds the disadvantages already faced by children in vulnerable, at-risk communities, and can contribute to intergenerational disadvantage, poor health, poverty, joblessness, welfare dependence, criminal offending and social dysfunction. It is one of the reasons for New Zealand’s very high rate of youth unemployment.
The Agreement
Both parties agreed that to break this cycle, a range of mutually supporting reforms is required in the areas of welfare, primary health, education, youth transition and employment law.
With respect to education, the parties have, in particular, agreed to implement a system, enabled under either sections 155 (Kura Kaupapa Maori) or 156 (Designated character schools), or another section if appropriate, of the Education Act, whereby school charters can be allocated in areas where educational underachievement is most entrenched.
A series of charters would initially be allocated in areas such as South Auckland and Christchurch. Iwi, private and community (including Pacific Island) groups and existing educational providers would compete to operate a local school or start up a new one. Schools would be externally accountable and have a clearly defined, ambitious mission. Public funding would continue to be on a per-child basis.
National and ACT agreed to establish an implementation group comprising a private sector chair, and private sector, business, iwi and community representatives along with government officials to develop the proposal.
They also agreed to ensure that it is implemented within this Parliamentary term.
The terms of reference and composition of the group would be agreed by National and ACT, Education ministry and external resources.
The parties have also agreed to set up a task force to produce a comprehensive report on governance issues relating to policy towards state, integrated and independent schools.
