Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership

1. Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership

2. Background The Australian Government has committed $243 million for 2013 to drive improvement in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The new National Partnership with States and Territories builds on the previous Literacy and Numeracy NP and aims to support students who are performing at or below the national minimum standard in NAPLAN results.

3. Background The Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership (ILNNP) aims to achieve the following outcomes: improved student performance in target groups (including students from disadvantaged backgrounds and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students) in literacy and/or numeracy in participating schools; effective identification of areas in participating schools where support is needed and where improvement has occurred, through monitoring and analysis of literacy and numeracy performance; and improved capability and effectiveness of literacy and/or numeracy teaching in participating schools.

4. Background Over $50 million has been identified to improve literacy and numeracy performance in public schools in NSW. The partnership operates across the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years with the FINAL REPORT due to the Australian Government on 14 February 2014. Each sector submitted lists of schools to the Australian Government to take part in this new partnership.

5. Selecting schools The final list of schools was formed by identifying schools with the greatest numbers of students in the bottom two bands on NAPLAN (an average of 2010 and 2011 results for Reading and Numeracy). Schools involved in other significant programs such as Early Action for Success or the Low SES National Partnership were then removed, with the exception of those schools coming off the Low SES National Partnership in 2013. This resulted in a final list of 400 Government schools agreed to by DEEWR.

6. Resources – tied grant The schoolsinvolved in the Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership have been provided with additional resources in the form of a tied grant. The size of the grant is based on two factors: the size of the school and hence the number of teachers involved the proportion of students in the school in the bottom 2 bands in NAPLAN (2010 and 2011). For example, over the life of the ILNNP, a school of 500 students with about 30% in the bottom 2 bands on NAPLAN will receive approximately $170,000 whereas one with 800 students with 45% in the bottom 2 bands will receive $320,000.

7. Using the tied grant Schools can provide feedback Website www.ilnnp.nsw.edu.au The ILNNP tied grant and can be used to provide additional professional learning in literacy and numeracy. The funds must be used in accordance with the Department’s Professional Learning Policy for Schools – Section 6.8 If you use this grant to employ a casual teacher, CEPS Code 306 is used.

8. What schools will do Analyse the effectiveness of the current whole school approaches in literacy or numeracy. Modify the current school plan to include specific whole school actions for improving literacy and/or numeracy in response to analysis. Develop a series of actions to improve the literacy or numeracy outcomes of a targeted group of students within the context of a refined whole school approach. Implement or refine a whole school approach in literacy or numeracy. Principals discussthe actions with School Education Directors and incorporate them in a revised 2012-14 School Plan.

9. What schools will do (continued) Evaluate program Use continuum Provide data Introduce or strengthen the use of the Department’s literacy continuum or numeracy continuum Provide data – baseline data on the students' current progress in literacy or numeracy by Friday 17 May 2013 updated data at the end of program, Friday 29 November 2013 Participate in processes to evaluate the program as requested.

10. What are local measures? Teachers use local measures to make reliable, on-balance judgments against the literacy or numeracy continuum. The same measures will be used at the start and towards the end of the partnership to benchmark performance in either literacy or numeracy. The measures will include classroom assessments and specific measures associated with the programs and strategies that schools use, for example L3 or TOWN. Schools will only be required to report on the literacy dimensions of reading texts and comprehension orthe numeracy dimensions of counting as a problem solving approach and place value, not both.

11. Typical classroom literacy assessment

12. Support materials Schools can provide feedback Website to come A website with up-to-date information on the Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership – www.ilnnp.nsw.edu.au Materials that will be available through the website include: implementation guidelines a situational analysis advice about using the literacy and numeracy continuums resources information on local measures reporting requirements.

13. What are the timelines? Data due 17 May and 29 November Description of assessments and revised school plan due 18 October

14. Contacts Peter Lorking Assistant Director, Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan 9266 8270 peter.lorking@det.nsw.edu.au Helen Evans Principal Education Officer Improving Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership 9244 5387 helen.m.evans@det.nsw.edu.au