Independent Schools Australia

ISA congratulates Australian students for their exceptional performance in the OECD PISA 2022 creative thinking assessment. The results highlight the dedication and hard work of students and teachers across the country. With an impressive 85% of government school students, 92% of Catholic school students, and 93% of Independent school students achieving the National Proficient Standard, these results all surpass the OECD average of 78%. This achievement highlights the dedication of students and teachers nationwide and underscores the importance of fostering #creativethinking skills. See ISA’s Media Release at https://lnkd.in/g3P6VWuw #independentschoolsaustralia

Following the recent announcement that the Indigenous Boarding Schools Grants Program will be extended for two years, ISA CEO Graham Catt and Association of Independent Schools Northern Territory ED Cheryl Salter met with Wes Meurant AICD, Principal at Yirara College in Alice Springs.  They observed first-hand how these vital grants will play a crucial role in providing cultural, emotional, and pastoral support to Indigenous students from remote areas, where access to secondary education is often limited.  Long-term funding is essential to Closing the Gap. #IndigenousEducation #ClosingTheGap #IndependentSchools #IndependentSchoolsAustralia #SupportBoardingSchools #SaveIndigenousSchools Yirara College of the Finke River Mission Inc.

At ISA we’re taking our hats off to teachers for #WorldTeachersDay2024! 🎩 🎉 Today, we celebrate the incredible impact teachers have on our lives and the futures of our young people. Their dedication to empowering minds and nurturing dreams is truly inspiring. Join us in honouring our amazing educators across Australia! Share your hats off selfie today and let teachers know how much they mean to you (Use the hashtag #WorldTeachersDay2024 and tag @aitsl). Let’s come together to show our appreciation and celebrate the vital role our teachers play in shaping our society. #HatsOffToTeachers🌟 Australian Institute for Teaching & School Leadership (AITSL)

📢 Great News! ISA is pleased to welcome the Federal Government’s extension of the Indigenous Boarding Schools Grants Program for two more years! This vital extension of funding comes after months of concerted advocacy by ISA, State and Territory Associations of Independent Schools and Indigenous Boarding Schools, which highlighted the critical importance of these schools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote communities. While this is a positive step, we continue to call for a permanent funding solution to ensure these schools can continue their essential work without interruption. Indigenous boarding schools play a crucial role in providing cultural, emotional, and pastoral support to students from remote communities, where access to secondary education is often limited. Long-term funding is vital to Closing the Gap. Let’s keep working towards a sustainable future for all our students! #IndigenousEducation #ClosingTheGap #IndependentSchools #IndependentSchoolsAustralia #SupportBoardingSchools #SaveIndigenousSchools

ISA welcomes today’s Federal Government announcement of an $18 million capital grants funding package for three Indigenous boarding schools in the Northern Territory—Yirara College, St Philip’s College, and Yipirinya School. It is a significant step towards improving school infrastructure. However, ISA also stresses the need for further long-term support to address the broader needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote communities. We continue to advocate for a permanent funding model to secure the future of Indigenous boarding schools and the essential services that they provide. #ClosingTheGap #IndigenousEducation #SupportBoardingSchools #IndependentSchoolsAustralia #FairFunding #SaveIndigenousSchools

School Choice Counts. School leaders, teachers and parents are telling us they’ve had enough of the relentless and baseless vilification of families who simply want the best for their children. Parents are making significant sacrifices in a cost-of-living crisis, and we know from our research that families—especially in key marginal seats—feel betrayed by policies that threaten their educational choices. With an election approaching we will be working to ensure families' voices are heard loud and clear. Read the front-page story on our campaign in today's The Australian and read the opinion piece below. #schoolchoicecounts Independent Schools Australia

School Choice Counts. School leaders, teachers and parents are telling us they’ve had enough of the relentless and baseless vilification of families who simply want the best for their children. Parents are making significant sacrifices in a cost-of-living crisis, and we know from our research that families—especially in key marginal seats—feel betrayed by policies that threaten their educational choices. With an election approaching we will be working to ensure families' voices are heard loud and clear. Read the front-page story on our campaign in today's The Australian and read the opinion piece below. #schoolchoicecounts Independent Schools Australia

📢 “War on schooling only punishes kids, parents” In today’s Australian this important Opinion Piece, ISA CEO Graham Catt’s Opinion on calls for a constructive national conversation to address the issues facing school education and ensure all students and schools are fully and fairly funded.   Independent schools serve a diverse student population, including those with disabilities and Indigenous students. In contrast to the relentless and divisive attacks by the Greens and the AEU painting Independent schools as elitist, families make sacrifices to choose the school that’s best for their children.   School choice counts. With over 700,000 students and a 120,000-strong workforce, these communities represent more than 2.5 million voters. Read the full piece in today’s Australian (link in comments) #independentschoolsaustralia #independentschools #independentschoolfunding #schoolfundingfacts

📢 ISA has released a crucial new report: ‘Supporting Their Futures: A Sustainable Model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Boarding’. This report highlights the vital role of boarding schools in providing education to over 2,300 students from remote communities, where local schooling options are often unavailable. With new data and case studies the report shows that many of these schools face significant funding challenges, with a shortfall of up to $20,000 per student. ISA calls for stable, long-term funding to ensure these schools can continue their essential work. Let’s support a sustainable future for these students 🌟 #ClosingTheGap #IndigenousEducation #SupportBoardingSchools #IndependentSchoolsAustralia #FairFunding #SaveIndigenousSchools

📢 ISA’s new report: ‘Supporting Their Futures: A Sustainable Model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Boarding’ highlights the critical role of boarding schools in educating over 2,300 students from remote communities and the urgent need for government support. New data and case studies show that many of these schools are managing a shortfall up to $20,000 per student. They can’t fill this gap on their fill on their own, and many are struggling with viability due to ongoing funding uncertainty. It is time to secure the future of Indigenous Boarding Schools! We’re calling for long-term, stable resourcing to allow these schools to continue providing this essential service. See the report at: https://lnkd.in/gGwXsHPi #ClosingTheGap #IndigenousEducation #SupportBoardingSchools #IndependentSchoolsAustralia #FairFunding #SaveIndigenousSchools