Round+2,+Monday+23+April+2012

//The following background information comes from DAV://

We are the NEGATIVE TEAM
=Round 2 - That we should require all schools to accept at least 25% of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds=

Introduction
It is a commonly held belief that students at private schools tend to do better in terms of tertiary entrance and career prospects than students from public (government funded schools). Some of the most important influences on educational outcomes for students are the wealth and background of their parents, as well as that of their classmates. This means that students who are less well-off, whose parents have (on average) received less education and whose classmates and neighbourhoods are similarly disadvantaged, have less of a chance of doing well at school and going on to lucrative careers. This seems unfair, leaving some private schools as islands of elite educational opportunity and tends to entrench economic disadvantage across generations. Inequalities in education aren't just unfair, they're bad for Australia's future. Less educated population means less tax revenue and a less productive workforce. One option to increase equality of educational opportunity is to give disadvantage students the same education as wealthier children. It could be argued that if a less well-off student was at the same school, with the same teachers and same resources as a wealthier student, then their results and opportunities might be closer. However there might be practical difficulties in ensuring less well-off students have access to wealthier schools. Those difficulties, including transport and student cohesion, might outweigh the benefits of trying to equalise educational opportunities. —ASG

Questions

 * What effect does economic disadvantage have on educational, and life, outcomes?
 * Would forcing schools to include students from less well-off backgrounds help this?
 * How might these less well-off student feel when going to wealthier schools? Will it increase their opportunities? What about those students who do not move schools?
 * If we agree that education equality is important, but don't want to force schools to accept a quarter of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds, what other options do we have to increase equality?

Links

 * [|Breaking the cycle of disadvantage through education]
 * [|Education inequalities in Australia]
 * [|Education the key to equality]

=More resources to help you with your research:= How young people are faring. The National report on the learning and work situation of young Australians (at a glance). Foundations for Young Australians, 2010 [] Taylor, J. and Gee, N. (2010) //Turning 18 Pathways and plans, Life Chances Study stage 9//, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne. Available online - []

Gale, T. (2010) //Let Them Eat Cake – Mobilising appetites for Higher Education//, Available online http://www.equity101.info/files/Final.pdf

DEECD (2010) //On Track 2010 - The Destinations of School Leavers in Victoria//, Available on-line at []

• Connell, R et al (2007) Education, Change and Society, chapter 3, “Youth Transitions”: Margaret Vickers • Groves, G (ed.) (2000), New framework for vocational education in schools: A comprehensive guide about pathways for young Australians in transition, Policy directions, Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, Canberra, ERC REF 370.1130994 MINI. • Kirby, P. (2000), Ministerial review of post compulsory education and training pathways in Victoria (Peter Kirby, Chair), Communications Division, Department of Education, Employment and Training, Melbourne http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/KirbyReport.pdf • Effective Strategies to Increase School Completion Report http://www.eduweb.vic.gov/edulibrary/public/postcomp/effectivestrategiesreportprint.pdf • Lamb, S, Dwyer, P and Wyn, J (2000) Non-completion of school in Australia: the changing patterns of participation and outcomes, Australian Council for Educational Research, Camberwell, Victoria, ERC f. 371.29130994 LAMB • Learning to Work, (2004) Report on the inquiry into Vocational education in Schools, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Training, Canberra. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/edt/ves/report/front.pdf • Polesel, J. (2000) “Vocational Education and Training in Schools: an Australian Initiative” in European Journal of Vocational Training, Vol. 21, No. 3. <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• Teese, R & Polesel, J (2003) Undemocratic schooling: Equity and Quality in mass education in Australia, Melbourne University Press. <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• Teese, R; Robinson, L; Lamb, S; & Mason, K (2006) The 2005 On Track Longitudinal Survey. The destinations of 2003 school leavers in Victoria 2 years on. Office of Learning and Teaching, DET< Melbourne. <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• http://www.education.vic.gov.au/sensecyouth/ontrack/default.htm


 * <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">More Web resources **

<span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">DEECD website: http://www.education.vic.gov.au do a search for post compulsory education and you will have some excellent material <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• http://www.education.vic.gov.au/sensecyouth/default.htm <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• Commonwealth Government website: <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;"> http://www.dest.gov.au <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MYCEETA): Includes the Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-First Century: <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;"> http://www.curriculum.edu.au/mceetya/ <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning: VCAL <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">http://www.education.vic.gov.au/aboutschool/stages/vcal.htm

<span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Dusseldorp Skills forum <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">http://www.dsf.org.au/ <span class="fnt0" style="font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Select “PAPERS” and then choose priority of Youth Transitions in learning and Work”. Choose the author as the DSF, the two articles below are downloadable there.