The National Catholic Education Commission says the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) on students with disability is helping educators better understand the learning needs of all students, but acknowledges that the current assessment method should be further improved in the coming years.

Education Council chair and Northern Territory Education Minister Eva Lawler yesterday released emergent data on students with disability in Australian schools based on information collected under the new model. NCEC acting executive director Danielle Cronin said the new approach to assessing students to determine how they can best be supported in their education provides a framework for a more coordinated approach to learning.

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The National Catholic Education Commission has expressed its disappointment that 2016 will end with no resolution to the future of school funding, but looks forward to working with the Commonwealth Government early in the new year to provide funding certainty for schools, school systems and parents.

“While the Education Council meeting did not provide any further clarity on a new funding model, education ministers acknowledged the urgency of consultation on school funding and the proposed new national schools reform agreement for 2018 and beyond,” NCEC acting executive director Danielle Cronin said.

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The National Catholic Education Commission says the release of the 2016 NAPLAN national report provides a third report on the performance of Australian students in three weeks, offering a chance for reflection on initiatives that can support teaching and learning.

NCEC acting executive director Danielle Cronin said while NAPLAN is only a snapshot of school education in some subject areas and some year levels, there are educational benefits to be gained at the individual and school level.

“Literacy and numeracy are foundational skills in children’s education and in their lives, so assessing progress is important in trying to set students up for the challenges that lie ahead,” Ms Cronin said.

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The latest Programme for International Student Assessment report shows that Australian Catholic schools continue to perform well in relation to high-performing countries, but declining results being seen locally and internationally are a cause for concern, the National Catholic Education Commission has said.

The 2015 PISA results were released today and show that Australian 15-year-olds continue to enjoy stronger results in maths, science and reading than their OECD peers, on average.

"In reading and in science, Australian students are performing well above the OECD average, and their scores in maths are also above the international average,” NCEC acting executive director Danielle Cronin said.

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A new school funding model must focus on meeting the actual needs of all students in all schools, rather than seek to deliver simplicity for simplicity’s sake, the National Catholic Education Commission has urged.

Catholic education has begun discussions with the Commonwealth Government over how Australian schools will be funded beyond 2017. NCEC acting executive director Danielle Cronin said it is important that those discussions proceed quickly and offer clarity about future school funding.

“We are now just 13 months away from an uncertain school funding model,” Ms Cronin said.

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National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox has said if the recommendations of the Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling are the starting point as the Commonwealth Government moves towards a new school funding model, the recommendations must be measured against the real needs of current students and schools.

“The Gonski Review made an important contribution to shaping understandings of needs-based funding in Australian schools, but the recommendations must be tested in light of the realities of school funding today, rather than a five-year-old understanding,” Mr Fox said.

“There are almost 250,000 more students in Australian schools than there were in 2011, and the needs of those students and where those students are being educated must be part of the discussion about how schools and students are supported into the future.”

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National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox has challenged the notion that variations in how Australian schools are funded are a “corruption” of the funding model that emerged from the Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling.

Mr Fox said with diverse needs being experienced in all schools and all sectors, the Australian Education Act sought to allocate funding that would meet the needs of students and schools.

“There are 9,500 schools across Australia, and no two schools are the same,” he explained.

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The discussion on school funding in recent days has created greater uncertainty for parents and schools as to how the Commonwealth will fund schools from 2018, National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox says.

“The recent debate has not helped parents, schools or school systems understand how Commonwealth school funding will support a quality education for Australia’s 3.8 million students in 2018 and beyond,” Mr Fox said.

“The priority must be to move all systems and all schools closer to being funded according to their need rather than moving funding between schools in aid of other policy objectives.”

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National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox says Catholic school leaders and parents are becoming increasingly concerned about how schools will be funded from 2018 as an era of uncertainty looms closer.

Education ministers will meet in Adelaide tomorrow to discuss how Commonwealth funding for Australian schools is distributed after 2017. Mr Fox called for the ministers to take a constructive approach to the discussions.

“With just 15 months left until the current Commonwealth funding arrangements for Australian schools expire, there is not a lot of time for parents and schools to plan for the educational needs of students,” Mr Fox said.

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The National Catholic Education Commission has called for a mature debate on needs-based school funding and encouraged all with an interest in education to join a conversation about how funding supports students in all Australian schools, rather than attempt to undermine funding for the 1.3 million students in non-government schools.

“The reality is that school funding in Australia is a partnership between the Australian Government, state and territory governments and parents,” NCEC executive director Ross Fox said.

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The National Catholic Education Commission has welcomed the Australian Labor Party’s announcement that Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek will join Kate Ellis in the education shadow ministry, saying Catholic education will continue to work closely with the shadow ministers to promote policies that support students in all Australian schools.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten announced his shadow ministry on Saturday, with Ms Plibersek named Shadow Minister for Education, with responsibility for schools and universities. Ms Ellis remains in the education portfolio, with a focus on early childhood education and development, as well as vocational education.

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The National Catholic Education Commission has congratulated Minister for Education and Training Senator Simon Birmingham on being reappointed to his portfolio and said Catholic education looks forward to working with the Minister for the benefit of students in all Australian schools.

Senator Birmingham, who was named Minister for Education and Training last September, was yesterday reappointed to the role by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

“Minister Birmingham has shown a strong commitment to the education of students in all Australian schools, including the 765,000 students currently being educated in the 1,731 Catholic schools across the country,” NCEC executive director Ross Fox said.

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National Catholic Education Commission executive director Ross Fox has expressed surprise that the Australian Greens are upset that their education policies have attracted scrutiny.

“As I stated yesterday, the education policies of the Greens are difficult to reconcile,” Mr Fox said.

“Today Senator Di Natale and Senator McKim have restated their commitment to needs-based funding. However, their education policies continue to state that government funding to Catholic schools has harmed government schools."

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The National Catholic Education Commission and Catholic School Parents Australia have warned that the Australian Greens’ education policy will create uncertainty for non-government schools, limit school choice for families and students, and could cause Catholic school fees to increase.

NCEC executive director Ross Fox said the Greens are using the final days of the campaign to promote their educational policy, but the policy creates conflict between the government and non-government sectors and could undermine the education Catholic schools provide to 765,000 students across Australia.

“The Greens’ education platform calls for funding for government schools to be prioritised ahead of non-government schools, irrespective of need,” Mr Fox said. “This position cannot be reconciled with the Greens’ stated commitment to needs-based, sector-blind funding.

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