Smarter Schools National Partnerships

Improving Teacher Quality
Low SES School Communities
Literacy and Numeracy

Australian Capital Territory
Progress Report 2010
(1 January – 30 June 2010)

       

  Section 1 – Overview/Summary of Progress	

ACHIEVEMENTS

The three education sectors in the ACT continue to collaboratively progress and implement the ‘Smarter Schools’ reforms. The ACT Cross Sectoral group met in June to discuss cooperative and collaborative activities supporting the Smarter Schools National Partnership (SSNP) reforms in the government and 
non-government education sectors.  

All public schools have Literacy and Numeracy Field Officers and Coordinators, a National Partnership Plan on their website, and have developed priorities for individual student improvement in their Schools Plans, Annual Operating Plans and Principal Appraisal documents.

All Catholic systemic schools have implemented collaborative and strategic planning in reading and numeracy, mathematical scope and sequences for each year level and home reading programs.

All Field Officers undertook professional training as facilitators in either First Steps Reading or Writing, or Count Me In Too (CMIT).  They also completed a series of sessions on coaching, planning and programming at the school level, balanced literacy and numeracy programs and professional learning communities.

All schools have data collection tools in operation and the majority have also participated in trials of on-line diagnostic and testing tools as part of the SSNP.

Professional learning has been provided to all staff in schools which enabled a common understanding of instructional approaches to literacy and numeracy and agreed practices across the whole school system.

All schools have evaluated their school plans which identify strategies and programs, and the linkage between strategy, reform and funding investment.

The first edition of the ACT Smart Schools Newsletter was published in Term 2 and distributed to all ACT schools. The newsletter highlights the achievements of participating ACT schools in implementing the SSNP reforms. The newsletter highlighted community engagement, literacy, numeracy and Indigenous programs and their achievements at the school level.

Improving Teacher Quality

Scoping of the Teacher Quality Institute has been completed and a steering committee formed. The Institute is scheduled to commence operations in March 2011.

A cross-sectoral symposium was held on 3 June 2010 to discuss potential models for innovative School Centres of Teacher Education Excellence in the ACT. Outcomes from the symposium will inform the next stage of planning on School Centre models.
Improving Low Socio-economic School Communities (Low SES)

Field Officers and Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators have been appointed to each of the four Low SES National Partnership schools to provide coaching, planning and programming, balanced literacy and numeracy programs and professional learning opportunities for other teachers. 

The University of Canberra is working with all Low SES National Partnership schools as an academic partner on areas including instructional rounds, beginning teacher attitudes, teacher expectations and efficacy, and addressing the needs of ESL students.

The Canberra Institute of Technology is providing students, parents and community members at the four Low SES National Partnership schools with additional support and opportunities to engage in education. 

All four low SES National Partnership schools are collecting data on milestones and key achievements to determine the effectiveness of strategies and provide evidence for future initiatives. 

Literacy and Numeracy

All Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership schools have appointed Literacy and Numeracy Field Officers and Coordinators to work with teachers and students in schools and have a National Partnership Plan on their website.

Literacy has been a focus for the majority of National Partnership schools with 
First Steps professional development (PD) being undertaken by all National Partnership schools and a large number of other schools across the system.

First Steps and Count Me In Too tools are being used in all schools to assess and track all students. A Quality Teaching model is being used as a lens for professional discussions about pedagogy and for lesson study.

A data analyst funded through the National Partnership has provided public schools with NAPLAN based information tracking particular student cohorts across time and also comparing year level performance over a number of years.  This has provided schools with evidence for decision making and planning regarding student and school plans. 

In Catholic systemic schools teachers have implemented literacy and numeracy blocks into the teaching schedule, increasing the time allocation for literacy and numeracy teaching. Literacy and numeracy blocks are timetabled for a minimum of four times per week. There is a heightened focus on planning and programming to meet all student needs, with a move from content based teaching to a student need focus. The establishment of peer mentoring has provided a vehicle for a shared vision and common language for the teaching of reading and numeracy, and has promoted critical reflection on classroom practice for teachers.

Schools have regularly engaged their community in informing and educating them in Mathematics teaching and learning.

Information Type: Qualitative
	
  Section 2 – Improving Teacher Quality	
Six Month Progress – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

The three education sectors in the ACT continue to collaboratively progress and implement the reforms of the Improving Teacher Quality National Partnership.  

A key initiative under the Partnership Agreement is the establishment of the Teacher Quality Institute as the teacher registration body for the ACT. Establishment of the Institute will enable the ACT to implement the reforms relating to national consistency in teacher registration, certification of teachers and accreditation of teacher education courses. 

The scoping work for the establishment of the Institute has been completed and a steering committee with representatives from key stakeholder groups has been formed. Work has commenced on the legislation, policies and procedures required to establish the Institute as an independent statutory body.

The ACT Teacher Education Committee oversees the implementation of initiatives relating to improved teacher education. During the reporting period the pilot project for School Centres of Teacher Education Excellence commenced. A cross-sectoral symposium was held to provide the opportunity for input into and consultation on potential models for future School Centres of Teacher Education Excellence.

Information Type: Qualitative	
Significant Achievements/Activities – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Scoping of the Teacher Quality Institute has been completed and a steering committee formed. The Institute is scheduled to commence operations in 
2011, with an official launch in March 2011.

The ACT Department of Education and Training, Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Catholic Education Office, and the Association of Independent Schools of the ACT jointly coordinated consultation on the draft National Professional Standards for Teachers. Consultation included a number of cross-sectoral workshops and the formation of an expert working group including local universities and union groups. A combined response to the draft Standards was provided in May 2010.

A cross-sectoral symposium was held on 3 June 2010 to discuss potential models for innovative School Centres of Teacher Education Excellence in the ACT. Attendees included principals, school leaders and teachers from the three education sectors, senior lecturers from the University of Canberra and the Australian Catholic University and representatives from the Australian and Independent education unions.  Outcomes from the symposium will inform the next stage of planning by the cross sectoral Teacher Education Committee on School Centre models to be considered for implementation from 2011.

Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Barriers to Progress  – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Delays in the progression of nationally coordinated initiatives have impacted on some aspects of ACT implementation of the Improving Teacher Quality National Partnership. 

Renewal and alignment of performance management practices will be supported by the National Professional Standards for Teachers. While the review of practices and documentation is underway, completion of this project is reliant on the finalisation of the Standards.

Engaging with the wider teacher workforce is also proving to be complex. Feedback from representative groups indicates that not enough time is available for people to engage with the large number of initiatives requiring consultation at both a jurisdictional and national level. 

Information Type: Qualitative	
Support for Indigenous Students – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

A cross-sector coordination committee is ensuring that reform activities are designed to provide support to Indigenous students and teachers in the three education sectors in the ACT. Specific reform initiatives applicable to each sector continue to be refined.

The Teacher Education Committee has been established and is responsible for providing oversight of the implementation of teacher education initiatives within the National Partnership. This includes the future development of flexible teacher education pathways for Indigenous Australians. A working group has been formed by this committee to progress the development of pathways into teacher education.

Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Activities you would like to showcase – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.
Nil.

Information Type: Qualitative	

  Section 3 – Low SES School Communities	
Six Month Progress – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

All four National Partnership schools have a Field Officer and Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators who received a series of professional learning opportunities covering coaching, planning and programming, balanced literacy and numeracy programs and professional learning communities.  

The Field Officers also work as part of the school executive on whole school planning and identification of strategies to improve student outcomes more generally.  Field Officers are also involved in developing strategies to increase student engagement and parent/carer and community involvement in schooling.

A data analyst, funded through the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership, has provided schools with NAPLAN based information tracking particular student cohorts across time and also comparing year level performance over a number of years.  This has provided schools with evidence for decision making and developing programs around individual students and student cohorts. 

Regular meetings are taking place between principals, senior executive, School Network Leaders and the project coordinator in each school.  Field Officers meet regularly for professional learning and to network with other senior staff including the project coordinator, the manager and assistant manager of Literacy and Numeracy Section.

All schools are collecting data to track student achievement, student attendance,  parent/carer engagement, parent education, before and after school care, breakfast clubs and homework clubs. 

All schools are recording data on milestones and key achievements on a common spreadsheet template. This data is used to determine the effectiveness of strategies and inform future initiatives.
Information Type: Qualitative	
Significant Achievements/Activities – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

The University of Canberra is working with all schools as an academic partner on areas including instructional rounds, beginning teacher attitudes, teacher expectations and efficacy, and ESL students and how to address their needs.

A Memorandum of Understanding with the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) was signed on 2 June 2010 aimed at offering the students, parents and community members of the four Low SES National Partnership schools with additional support and opportunities to engage in education.  This program will include support for Indigenous learners and their families through CIT’s Yurauna Centre.

Schools are developing data tracking tools and Field Officers with particular expertise are working with a number of schools to share high quality electronic data capture models.
Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Barriers to Progress – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

The staffing composition at some National Partnership schools has a high number of beginning teachers and a higher staff turnover relative to other schools. This makes it challenging for Field Officers to embed best practice in schools in the short term.
Information Type: Qualitative	
Support for Indigenous Students – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

All Indigenous students have a Personalised Learning Plan. The plans include baseline student achievement and individual learning strategies to reach individual goals. The plans are prepared in consultation with the Field Officer, teacher, school counsellors and parents.

Additional resources have been used to support schools in working with Indigenous students. Resources are allocated based on Indigenous population, identified student needs, request from principals and School Network Leader recommendations.

One of the schools has established a homework club run by Indigenous parents supported by the school.  This initiative aims to increase parental engagement by providing support to parents in assisting their children with homework.
Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Support for other cohorts (if applicable) – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Work has begun on strengthening identification and tracking of ESL students.

Professional learning continues to be offered to assist specialist and mainstream teachers to cater to the learning needs of ESL students.

Breakfast and/or homework clubs have been established at all four schools to cater for disadvantaged students. One school has identified their population of Somali refugees as a focus in their homework club. The aim is to increase parent engagement and understanding of the ACT education system through providing support to parents in assisting their children with their school work.
Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Activities you would like to showcase – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Richardson Primary School has engaged with its Indigenous community through their reconciliation activities, launch of their "Values Garden" and Indigenous Partnership and the use of Indigenous elders and community members in significant events at the school. Community members are used to promote connections with school and learning for Indigenous students. Developing a respect for and understanding of Indigenous people is high on the agenda for Richardson led by the Principal, who is a trained Dare to Lead facilitator.  

Another initiative from Richardson Primary School is the setting up of an After School Homework Centre, initially for Indigenous students, and with a strong focus on developing the self confidence, skills and efficacy of the Indigenous families and parents who are running this with support from staff.  In the process they have researched and developed strategies to investigate the school’s external environment, their external links and sphere of influence before setting up the Homework Centre. At the same time, effort has beenfocussed on this research to best support the school community’s capacity to manage and deliver a sustainable Homework Centre run by the Indigenous parents at Richardson Primary school. 

Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School is working with the ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services through the Schools as Communities Program. The first outcome of this collaboration is their new Homework Club.

Florey Primary has developed a tool to capture student data and track individual, class and year level performance against school based literacy and numeracy programs.  Class teachers enter the information for their students through their home page and this feeds into a whole school database.  The Excel data base is used by teachers to inform their classroom planning and teaching and by the school leadership team to make whole school evidence based decisions.  This tool has been so successful and teacher friendly that the field officer has worked with 10 other schools to create a similar tool based on system endorsed literacy and numeracy programs and up-skilled their staff in its use.
Information Type: Qualitative	

  Section 4 – Literacy and Numeracy	
Six Month Progress – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.
Cross Sectoral

Professional development in cross sectoral endorsed programs was offered from the start of 2010. First Steps facilitator training was organised in February with Reading being attended by ten public school teachers, one DET officer, one Catholic and two Independent staff.   First Steps Writing facilitator training was attended by five public school teachers. Count Me In Too training was organised for sixteen public and four independent teachers in January and March 2010.

Public Schools

All twelve schools have a Field Officer and a Literacy and Numeracy Coordinator who have received a series of professional learning opportunities covering coaching, planning and programming, balanced literacy and numeracy programs and professional learning communities.  

The main component of the Field Officer’s role, which makes up around 80% of their time, is coaching teachers to improve practices in literacy and numeracy to lift student outcomes. There is a particular focus on delivering balanced literacy and numeracy programs and embedding system endorsed programs First Steps and Count Me In Too.  

All public schools have appointed Literacy and Numeracy Coordinators.  The role of these coordinators is to work with classroom teachers in a coaching capacity for 50% of their time and to work with small groups or individual students for the other 50%.  In National Partnership schools the Field Officers and Coordinators work together to support improvements in literacy and numeracy in the school.

Literacy has been a focus for the majority of National Partnership schools with First Steps professional development (PD) being undertaken by all National Partnership schools and a large number of other schools across the system. Field Officers are ensuring strategies are embedded in teaching and school practice through coaching of teachers and schools and supporting this across the system.

Field Officers also work as part of the school executive on whole school planning and identification of strategies to improve student literacy and numeracy outcomes including developing a consistent language across the school, a whole school focus, and increased parental involvement.  

First Steps and Count Me In Too tools are being used in all schools to assess and track all students. A Quality Teaching model is being used as a lens for professional discussions about pedagogy and for lesson study.

A data analyst, funded through this National Partnership, has provided schools with NAPLAN based information tracking particular student cohorts across time and also comparing year level performance over a number of years. This has provided schools with evidence for decision making. 

Regular meetings are taking place between principals, senior executive, School Network Leaders and the project coordinator. Field Officers meet regularly for professional learning and to network with other senior staff including the project coordinator, the manager and assistant manager of Literacy and Numeracy Section.

Schools have run a variety of parent information and education nights for literacy and numeracy and have worked to raise the profile of literacy and numeracy in the school communities.

Catholic Systemic Schools

Effective evidence based teaching has been a priority. Teachers have refined their programs and lessons using the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model while implementing more effective strategies and processes to support student learning. This focus has led to a more consistent approach to classroom practice in the teaching of reading

Numeracy Intervention Program (NIP) student reports indicate that student confidence has increased. Performance against SENA 1 and 2 and Nelson Performance indicators have also improved for whole school and intervention programs. Early indicators show that the introduction of cognitive closure (Sousa) has enhanced long term memory of students in mathematical concepts. There is more emphasis on investigative maths tasks and less reliance on text books for teaching Mathematics. 

Teachers have implemented numeracy and literacy blocks into the teaching schedule, increasing the time allocation for literacy and numeracy teaching. Literacy and Numeracy blocks are timetabled for a minimum of four times per week. There is a heightened focus on planning and programming numeracy and literacy to meet all student needs, with a move from content based teaching to a student need focus.

The establishment of peer mentoring has provided a vehicle for a shared vision and common language for the teaching of reading and numeracy, and has promoted critical reflection on classroom practice for teachers.

Professional learning has been provided to all staff and enabled a common understanding of instructional approaches and agreed practices across the whole school. 

Schools have engaged their communities in informing and educating them in Mathematic teaching and learning. Parent responses to the partnership through newsletters, parent education evenings, maths bag activities and home reading activities have been very positive.

Schools have implemented Team Leadership for School Improvement programs which have enabled  them to strategise and plan for the implementation of whole school agreed practices. Staff meetings and leadership team meetings with a focus on Mathematics/ Reading have been ongoing throughout the program.

Schools have developed individual reading plans to meet the needs of identified students. Individual intervention is provided to students most at risk. NAPLAN analysis, First Steps mapping tools and the ongoing administration and analysis of running records and other diagnostic assessment tools, such as Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading Comprehension (PAT R), has enabled whole of school progress on mapping individual student achievement and identification of support.

Independent schools
Independent schools continue to undertake reforms in a ‘stand alone’ capacity, including a variety of literacy and numeracy programs offered in schools which are dependent on the specific observed needs of students. Often these programs are additions to existing literacy and numeracy programs, such as the WordWorks spelling program at Radford College.

Information Type: Qualitative	
Significant Achievements/Activities – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Public Schools 

•	All schools have Literacy and Numeracy Field Officers and Coordinators.
•	All schools have a National Partnership Plan on their website.
•	All schools have worked with their School Network Leader to reflect priorities for student improvement, particularly Indigenous student improvement, in their Schools Plans, Annual Operating Plans and Principal Appraisal documents.
•	All Field Officers undertook professional training as facilitators in either First Steps Reading or Writing, or Count Me In Too (CMIT).  They also completed a series of sessions on coaching, planning and programming at the school level, balanced literacy and numeracy programs and professional learning communities.
•	Twenty schools have participated in First Steps Reading in terms 1 and 2 2010. Eight of these are Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership schools and four Low SES schools. Two National Partnership schools participated in First Steps Writing in terms 1 and 2.  All National Partnership schools have completed First Steps training in either reading or writing in 2009/10.
•	Ten schools participated in Count Me In Too training in terms 1 and 2.  Four National Partnership schools have completed CMIT training.
•	All class teachers in the above schools have participated in the First Steps and CMIT training.
•	All schools have data collection tools based on First Steps and CMIT and the majority have also participated in trials of on-line diagnostic and testing tools as part of the SSNP.
•	Schools are developing data tracking tools and Field Officers with particular expertise are working with a number of schools to share high quality electronic data capture models.

Catholic Systemic Schools

•	Implementation of whole school agreed practices to assist teachers in their practice has driven pedagogical change.  These practices include collaborative and strategic planning in Reading and Numeracy, mathematical scope and sequences for each year level, home reading programs and the reinvigoration of the Count Me In Too Framework.
•	Schools have streamlined programming practices with a common format to provide a greater level of detail required to link assessment, teaching and learning.
•	Development and implementation of a student achievement tracking system to identify student needs.
•	Successful implementation of the NIP and the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model in Reading and Numeracy.
•	A commitment by classroom teachers to plan and implement literacy and numeracy blocks into their practice. Weekly planning and reflection reports are developed to outline future directions and actions required by National Partnership School Facilitators. 

A Cross sectoral newsletter was compiled during term 2 showcasing National Partnership schools and distributed to all ACT schools.   

Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Barriers to Progress – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

The staffing composition at some public National Partnership schools has a high number of beginning teachers and a higher staff turnover relative to other schools. This makes it challenging for Field Officers to embed best practice in schools in the short-term.

An audit of resource allocation in Catholic Systemic schools identified that National Partnership schools are under resourced in terms of reading books. The audit also identified a continual need to develop teacher background knowledge of mathematical concepts and the reading process and a lack of University training for pre-service and experienced teachers to improve their core mathematical understanding. 

The ability for all schools to augment existing timetables to reflect a revised focus on National Partnership programs has been challenging.

Information Type: Qualitative	
Support for Indigenous Students – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

All Indigenous students in public schools have a Personalised Learning Plan. Additional resources have been used to support schools to work with Indigenous students. Resources are allocated based on Indigenous population, identified student needs, request from principals and School Network Leader recommendations.

Professional learning has been presented to public school leaders on “Leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education in ACT Public Schools” by the Department of Education and Training.

In Catholic Systemic Schools individual reading programs have been provided for each Indigenous student and Indigenous readers are promoted in classrooms. A Cultural Immersion Program is under development which includes specific contact days for Indigenous Officers.
Information Type: Qualitative and Quantitative	
Activities you would like to showcase – 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010.

Good Shepherd Primary School has been involved in Numeracy improvement for the  past 12 months and has been able to support a number of  students in year three and five through the NIP. This intensive program has allowed students to have one to one support over 13 weeks to further develop their early number concepts and gain much needed confidence in their approach to Mathematics.

St Michael’s Primary School has been striving to align their Home Reading program with contemporary practice. Reading at home is an essential component of the holistic reading program at the school. It provides students with extended practice and engagement in comprehending texts they want to read. Home Reading supports students’ reading development and fosters a positive home/school partnership. The school staff revisited the purpose of Home Reading and devised an Action Plan to move forward. The entire Home Reading stock of the school was organised and sorted into Book Boxes in classrooms. Borrowing systems were established and a Reading Wall is used to track borrowing. Children in Years Four to Six record their Home Reading experience and progress online via an interactive mywiki. 

Radford College has developed the WordWorks spelling program. The program is heavily based on the research and methods of Barbara Brann, who has provided the foundations for the development of the Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 Literacy program. The program develops phonemic awareness, spelling knowledge/skills and teaches strategies to allow students to explore words with regard to sounds, grammatical features and word origins. The program also integrates spelling with writing, reading and vocabulary extension skills. Although the program is still in its infancy, after just four months the program has full staff (P to 6) engagement and support and engagement from students and their families. The students have named it WordWorks, ‘because it’s more than spelling’.

The Field Officer program being implemented in all public NP schools has raised the profile of literacy and numeracy through focussed discussions with staff and school leaders.  Field Officers are using data gathered at the school level and through NAPLAN to work with school executive and the literacy and numeracy coordinators to make evidence based decisions for planning at the whole school and individual classroom level.  All schools are working on embedding First Steps
literacy practices and a number have organised events to inform the school community about current literacy practices in their child’s classroom.  This whole school approach has firmly embedded high expectations for literacy and numeracy outcomes for students in teacher practice and across the whole school community.

Many schools have engaged their school community through information nights,
open days and parent presentations.  Taylor Primary School was one of these
schools and in March a special community evening was held. Teachers were keen to share with the community the different approaches and models used in the teaching of literacy and in particular the methods and models used to teach reading and spelling.  Parents were provided with resources to be used at home to support their child in the development of fundamental literacy skills.  

Taylor has also established a “Reading Wall” to communicate ideas about reading and what constitutes a good reader at each year level with parents.  Examples of texts used at the school are displayed in a public walkway area with descriptors.  A brochure developed by the school on supporting young readers at Taylor is available for parents.  The staff at Taylor Primary are now working on a “Writing Wall”.

An increasing number of schools are using a data capture tool developed by one of the Low SES NP field officers who has particular expertise in the area. This tool captures student data and tracks individual, class and year level performance against school based literacy and numeracy programs.  Class teachers enter the information for their students through their home page and this feeds into a whole school database.  The Excel data base is used by teachers to inform their classroom planning and teaching and by the school leadership team to make whole school evidence based decisions.  This tool has been so successful and teacher friendly that the field officer has already worked with 10 schools to create a similar tool based on system endorsed literacy and numeracy programs and up-skilled their staff in its use.

Information Type: Qualitative	

  Section 5 – Milestone Reporting 										Improving Teacher Quality NP	

Part 1 - Milestones not reported/not achieved/partially achieved in Annual Report for 2009	
Milestone (state and territories may wish to identify whether the milestone relates to all sectors or a particular sector within their jurisdiction).	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
Model and program developed for initial School Centre of Teacher Education Excellence in an Early Childhood school.
Due 2009 - partially achieved in Annual Report for 2009.	The pilot project for the initial School Centre of Teacher Education Excellence in an Early Childhood School commenced in July with the placement of University of Canberra students at Narrabundah Early Childhood School in a Work Integrated Learning Project.
		A review of the pilot project will be undertaken during term 4, 2010 to evaluate the program and make recommendations for future development of the program.	
Part 2 - Milestones in Progress Report - (Achieved 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
Scoping of the Teacher Quality Institute.	Scoping of the Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) has been completed. A steering committee has been established and the legislation, policies and procedures for the Institute are being developed.		A Senior project officer has been appointed to oversee the development of the TQI project.	
Workforce data business analysis complete, with data collection and analysis tools implemented.	Workforce data business analysis has been completed. Phase 1 of the School Staffing Integrated Management System has been launched and is operational.		Additional functions for the integrated management system will progressively come on line and be implemented. 	
Gap analysis of current ACT performance management practices complete.	The gap analysis of current ACT performance management practices has been completed. A review of performance management documentation is underway and is due for completion by the end of 2010.		Consultation is occurring with unions and key stakeholder groups in the reviewing and updating of performance management documentation.	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
Better Pathways training program developed.	The Better Pathways training program has not yet been developed.	The Better Pathways initiative is being overseen by the Teacher Education Committee. This committee has called for a working group to be established to develop all of the Pathways into Teaching programs. Planning for the Better Pathways program is now aligned with the plans of the working group and has been delayed to incorporate potential national initiatives related to this reform.	Planning for the Better Pathways initiative will now occur through the Pathways into Teaching working group. Emerging national initiatives will be considered in this planning with a work plan to be developed during 2011. 	
Part 3 - Milestones that will progress through the 2010 calendar year (with no set milestone date)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. 
Quantitative and Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	

  Section 5 – Milestone Reporting 									Low SES School Communities NP	

Part 1 - Milestones not reported/not achieved/partially achieved in Annual Report for 2009	
Milestone (state and territories may wish to identify whether the milestone relates to all sectors or a particular sector within their jurisdiction).	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
				
Part 2 - Milestones in Progress Report - (Achieved 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
Acceptance of 2009 Annual Report (due April 2010).	2009 Annual Report completed and accepted.
			
Part 3 - Milestones that will progress through the 2010 calendar year (with no set milestone date)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. 
Quantitative and Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	

  Section 5 – Milestone Reporting 										Literacy and Numeracy NP	

Part 1 - Milestones not reported/not achieved/partially achieved in Annual Report for 2009	
Milestone (state and territories may wish to identify whether the milestone relates to all sectors or a particular sector within their jurisdiction).	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
				
Part 2 - Milestones in Progress Report - (Achieved 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
School-based data collection methods used to track student literacy and numeracy progress.	Schools are using data tracking tools, and Field Officers with particular expertise are working across a number of schools to share high quality electronic data capture models.
		Field officers with expertise are working with schools to develop tracking tools and train staff in their use. Schools are continuing to refine data tracking tools as data collections expand.	
Schools provided with literacy and numeracy resources and teachers access professional learning.	20 schools have participated in First Steps Reading in terms 1 and 2, 2010. Eight of these are Literacy and Numeracy NP schools and four Low SES schools. Two NP schools participated in 2009.  Sixteen schools participated in First Steps Writing in terms 1 and 2.  Two of these are NP schools.  All National Partnership schools have completed First Steps training in either reading or writing in 2009/10.
Ten schools participated in Count Me In Too training in terms 1 and 2.  Four NP schools have completed CMIT training. All schools completing training receive a set of resources for every classroom teacher.		National Partnership schools have been the priority in 2009/10, though many other public schools have participated in professional learning.  Training is continuing.	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. Quantitative and Qualitative	If not achieved or partially achieved, reasons why. 
Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative	
School plans for 2010 reflect priorities for student improvement in literacy and numeracy.	All schools have a 2010 NP plan on their school website. All schools have worked with their School Network Leader to reflect priorities for student improvement, particularly Indigenous student improvement in their Schools Plans, Annual Operating Plans and Principal Appraisal documents.
		This is ongoing work with all School Plans to reflect priorities which are developed in more detail yearly in the School Annual Operational Plan.	
Acceptance of March 2010 Annual Report (due 31 March 2010).	2009 Annual Report completed and accepted.
			
Part 3 - Milestones that will progress through the 2010 calendar year (with no set milestone date)	
Milestone	Detail of achievement against milestone. 
Quantitative and Qualitative	Strategies put in place to achieve milestone (including updated timeframe) Quantitative and Qualitative