Inquiry into the state education system in Victoria

That this House requires the Legal and Social Issues Committee to inquire into, consider and report, by 25 June 2024, on the Victorian education system across government schools, including — 

(1)  trends in student learning outcomes from Prep to Year 12, including but not limited to —

(a) the factors, if any, that have contributed to decline;

(b) disparities correlated with geography and socio-economic disadvantage;

(2)  the state of the teaching profession in Victoria, including but not limited to —

(a) the adequacy of existing measures to recruit and retain teachers;

(b) training, accreditation and professional development, particularly for teaching students with special needs;

(c) the adequacy of the Department of Education’s measures to support teachers;

(d) the impact of school leadership on student wellbeing, learning outcomes and school culture;

(3)  the current state of student wellbeing in Victoria, including but not limited to the impact of State Government interventions, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to address poor mental health in students, school refusal, and broader student disengagement;

(4)  the administrative burden on teachers and the availability of new technologies to alleviate the burden;

(5)  examples of best practice in other jurisdictions and educational settings used to improve student learning outcomes and wellbeing; and

(6)    school funding adequacy and its impact on student learning outcomes and wellbeing.

On 14 May 2024, the Legislative Council resolved to extend the reporting date to 15 October 2024.