NORTHERN TERRITORY SMARTER SCHOOLS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS FAST FACTS
Through the three Smarter Schools National Partnerships (SSNP) the Australian Government is providing significant additional funding to the states and territories to implement systemic and sustainable education reform that will improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all Australian students, strengthen the capacity and resilience of disadvantaged school communities and drive quality and continuous improvement in teaching. 
Under the Initiatives supporting Quality Teaching and Literacy and Numeracy the Australian Government is providing further funding to Northern Territory education providers to develop career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff with education qualifications and provide support and programs to enable teachers and students achieve improved outcomes in literacy and numeracy in 73 targeted remote communities.  The schools involved in reforms are a sub-set of those involved in the SSNP, thus the initiatives and reforms supporting schools align with, supplement and enhance those undertaken through the SSNP.
The SSNP are now achieving significant reform at the national, territory and local school community levels. State and territory SSNP Annual Reports and Progress Reports available from this site provide an overview of some innovative strategies being progressed.
The Northern Territory Government is also contributing through new funding or the redirection of existing resources. The amounts detailed below are the Australian Government’s contribution only.
Indicative National Partnership Funding
NT	Literacy and 
Numeracy
(2008-09 to 2011-12)	Low SES
(2008-09 to 2014-15)	Improving                                 Teacher Quality
(2008-09 to 2012-13)	Closing the Gap
(2009-10 to 2011-12)	TOTAL	
Facilitation Funding	$4.5m	$70.1m	$1.1m	$44.3m**	$120.0m	
Reward Funding*	$10.4m	$0	$4.3m	$0	$14.7m	
Total Funding	$15.0m	$70.1m	$5.4m	$44.3m	$134.8m	
* Figures are subject to the achievement of agreed performance targets as assessed by the COAG Reform Council. The Reward Funding amounts should be considered as an “up to amount” or “maximum” funding. 
Totals may not add due to rounding.
**Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership – Initiatives supporting Quality Teaching and Literacy and Numeracy (previously named the Quality Teaching and Enhancing Literacy measures)  
Participation				   
NT	Schools                                                          in NP	Students*
in NP
(FTE)	As a % of
all students
(NT)	Indigenous   
students in NP	As a % of Indigenous    students (NT)	
Literacy and Numeracy 	18	5,990	15.5%	1,580	10.3%	
Low SES School Communities*	109	13,550	35.1%	10,420	68.2%	
Both NPs	7	1,515	3.9%	762	5.0%	
Total	134	21,055	54.5%	12,761	83.5%	
Based on DEEWR data of SSNP participating schools as at 29/07/2011 using 2009 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) student enrolments.
Totals may not add due to rounding.
*Of the 134 schools participating in the SSNP, 92 are also receiving support through the Initiatives supporting Quality Teaching and Literacy and Numeracy under the Closing the Gap in the NT National Partnership.

Northern Territory Smarter Schools National Partnerships Highlights
Smarter Schools National Partnership for Literacy and Numeracy
Teachers and principals have access to tools to assist selection of evidence based literacy and numeracy programs and assess the effectiveness of their practice. Diagnostic tools, ‘Assessment for Learning’ experts and in-classroom literacy and numeracy coaches are working with teachers and para-professionals to ensure students are provided with targeted support relevant to their learning needs. A selected group of schools is being provided with resourcing to implement site specific evidence based strategies to accelerate improvement.
Smarter Schools National Partnership for Low Socio-economic Status (SES) School Communities
School improvement planning processes are used to inform site-based reforms complemented by regional and system based initiatives in priority areas such as literacy and numeracy, student attendance and engagement as well as community and parent partnerships. A pilot of flexible and innovative delivery which includes blended services, flexible school hours/terms and localised incentives is also be a feature of this reform, as well as development opportunities for teachers in remote schools to support the delivery of effective teaching and learning programs for multilingual learners. 
Smarter Schools National Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality
A focus on targeting critical points in the teacher life cycle to attract, develop and retain quality teachers and school leaders particularly in very remote schools is a focus of reform effort. Progress to date includes:
•	the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Amendment Bill 2009, which commenced in September 2010;
•	the introduction of the Highly Accomplished and Leading Teacher (HALT) program;
•	the identification of two schools as future Centres of Excellence; 
•	A range of Indigenous related initiatives such as the More Indigenous Teachers initiative, the Growing Our Own program, the Indigenous Teachers Upgrade program and the Remote Indigenous Teacher Education (RITE) program. 

Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership – Quality Teaching and Enhancing Literacy measures
In recognition of the significant challenges facing remote communities in the Northern Territory, additional funding of $44.3 million is supplementing and enhancing effort generated under the Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreements. In particular it is supporting flexible and innovative service delivery through the development of pathways for Indigenous staff including increasing the number of Indigenous staff with educational qualifications, improved support for teachers in very remote localities and enhanced support to improve outcomes in literacy and numeracy.