Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

Self-Governing Schools program expanded

A further 23 schools have been named to take part in the Self-Governing Schools program, bringing the total number of schools involved to 52 and the number of students to about 36,000.

The Minister for Education, Phil Gude, said the Self-Governing Schools program was aimed at giving parents and school communities a greater say in the education of their children.

The 23 schools, which will become Self Governing at the start of Term Three this year, represent a wide cross section of Government schools, ranging from small primary schools to large secondary schools, from country to city, and they also span a wide socio-economic range.

Self-Governing Schools will continue to:

· Offer free and secular education.

· Accept all students from within their catchment area who wish to attend.

· Receive standard funding from the Department of Education through the School Global Budget and remain accountable to the Minister for Education.

· Offer the curriculum contained in Victoria's Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) and the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).

· Present students for assessment under the Learning Assessment Project (LAP) and the Victorian Student Achievement Monitor (VSAM).

· Directly employ all staff.

· Enter into partnerships with TAFE or other institutions or business and industry.

· Become centres for excellence or specialist schools in a chosen discipline.

· Co-opt school council members with specialist skills.

· Lease school facilities to the community.