School autonomy for social justice?

This panel event launches the final report of the study: School autonomy reform and social justice in Australian Public Education. This ARC-supported project was led and administered by Deakin University with Monash University, Curtin University, and the University of New South Wales and was conducted across four Australian states (NSW, Qld, Vic., WA).

The study examined how school autonomy is understood by key education stakeholders in Australia, how it is enacted in Australian public schools, and the implications for social justice.

The launch will include a brief presentation of the study’s findings followed by a panel discussion that engages with the findings of the report with time for general Q&A.

Trevor Cobbold is National Convenor of Save Our Schools, a public education advocacy group which was established in 2006. He held several honorary positions in ACT Council of P&C Associations in Canberra for over 20 years and is a life member of the Council. He worked as an economist for the Australian Government for over 30 years and has extensive experience in economic research and policy analysis.

Barry McGaw is an Emeritus Professor of Murdoch University and an Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. He was a science teacher in Queensland and then Professor of Education at Murdoch University in Perth before becoming Executive Director of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in Melbourne and then Director for Education at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Since returning to Australia from the OECD, he served as foundation Chair of the Board of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

Andrew Pierpoint is President of the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association – the peak body for Secondary school leaders across Australia. He previously was President of the Queensland Secondary Principals’ Association for four (4) years.

Andrew has had extensive experience, over 38 years, in High Schools as a science teacher, Head of Department (Science), Deputy Principal and Principal as well as having several system positions in the support of Principals. Throughout his career, Andrew has worked in complex rural and remote communities through to large regional and metropolitan schools. He has led communities and reference groups at district, regional, state and national levels.

Andrew’s special interests are the provision of high-quality professional learning for school leaders, school leader wellbeing and is personally highly active in school sport – particularly cricket and golf.

Andrew has demonstrated a passion for State (Government) Education in Australia driven by the values of social justice and equity and possess an excellent understanding of the Principalship from firsthand experience. Most importantly, Andrew has a genuine desire to make a meaningful difference for school leaders in the application of their ever increasing, complex roles in schools and the broader communities they work in.

Meredith Peace is President of the Australian Education Union (Victorian Branch) and has worked in full-time elected roles for the AEU since 2001. She is also The AEU Federal Deputy President and past President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC).

The AEU (Victorian Branch) has close to 50,000 members in government primary and secondary schools, TAFE, Adult Migrant Education Services, Disability Services and Preschools.

Meredith is a registered secondary teacher (science, biology, geography, maths, environmental science), and has taught in both country and metropolitan schools during her career. Her original plan was to work in environmental science but decided teaching would give her the chance to put her scientific knowledge into action.

She is the AEU Federal Office Environment representative, including on the ACTU Climate Action Group and is a certified ‘Climate Reality’ project presenter. Meredith has also been elected to represent the AEU at many Education International congresses/regional forums in a variety of countries.

Meredith was educated in public schools in country Victoria and has always been a strong advocate for public education and social justice. Meredith believes governments have a responsibility to provide a high quality, well-resourced public education system accessible to all and to ensure all students are able to achieve to the best of their ability.

Amanda Keddie, Jill BlackmoreKatrina MacDonald(Deakin University)

Jane Wilkinson (Monash University)

Richard Niesche, Scott Eacott (University of New South Wales)

Brad Gobby (Curtin University)

Host or Publisher Research for Educational Impact - REDI