State Election 2021 - The position of The State School Teachers' Union of W.A. (Inc.)
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State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
State Election
2021
The position of The State School
Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.)
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
We are a strong, independent, democratic union of public educators
protecting and improving our industrial and professional rights and
promoting quality public education for all.
At the SSTUWA, we focus on:
• Protecting and improving our industrial and professional rights.
• Promoting high quality public education for all.
• Ensuring the current and long term interests of our members
are at the centre of everything we do.
2 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
Preamble
The State School Teachers’ Union of Western This discussion paper outlines the commitments
Australia (SSTUWA) is the industrial and and recommendations that will be sought from
professional organisation representing more than all political parties in the 2021 Western Australian
17,000 school leaders, teachers, TAFE lecturers state election. The issues outlined in this
and school psychologists working in WA public document reflect the views of SSTUWA members,
schools and TAFE colleges. Executive and the broader public education and
TAFE communities in WA.
Introduction
Every state election presents an opportunity for with the health and economic outcomes of the
the SSTUWA to influence the public education COVID-19 pandemic, it is now more crucial than
agenda for the benefit of our members working ever to ensure that there is a strong investment in
in public schools across the state. It is also an our public schools and TAFEs.
opportunity to generate positive change for public
school students, staff and the sector generally. Public education is critical to the success of
rebuilding Australia’s economy and society. To
WA schools are still feeling the burden of previous support this we need additional funding, increased
funding and staffing cuts from successive state support for teachers and school leaders, and
governments (2013-14 and 2017-18); our TAFEs improved education infrastructure, particularly
continue to be asked to deliver increased numbers IT requirements which support the integration of
of student contact hours with fewer resources. emerging technologies with on-site teaching and
learning.
As the world continues to emerge from and deal
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
3State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
Issues/positions
1. Investing in every child’s future
The SSTUWA endorses a public education to the demands of remote learning were laid bare
system that is fully supported by government and over the COVID-19 period. The transition back to
underpinned by the principles of equity and the more normal forms of education must not be a
notion that all students should have the same transition back to undervalued, underfunded and
right to a high quality education accessible in deeply unequal education systems – rather, we
their local community. Our focus must be on high now have opportunities to address those issues.
standards, not minimum benchmarks or funding
levels. It is now more critical than ever that our public
education staff, systems and infrastructure are
The recent and on-going pandemic has highlighted fully funded and supported to provide the highest
the valuable and essential role that public quality and accessible education to students
education plays in and across our communities. across WA, which will ultimately support the
There is now a greater understanding of the recovery of the WA economy.
complexity and value of the work that teachers
do and of the importance of social interaction Investing in public schools and TAFEs now will
between students themselves and students and ensure that we will have a local, highly skilled
teachers. It is beyond doubt that teachers, school workforce which is essential for the recovery of
leaders and TAFE lecturers have gone above our economy as we navigate our way through
and beyond to provide stability to their students and out of this pandemic. Our public education
and their communities in the face of significant institutions, properly resourced, can provide the
adversity. avenue for our state to build on the educational
attainment of all WA students from the early
The COVID-19 pandemic has also revealed years of education through to tertiary levels and
fundamental inequities in our education system. throughout their lives.
The huge variation in systems’ capacity to respond
Preschool funding
The Rudd Federal Government introduced also realised in the health, education and justice
Universal Access National Partnership (UANP) budgets” (Nous Group 2020).
funding in 2009. The current government has seen
fit to fund that national partnership on an annual The latest OECD PISA report, released in late
basis since 2016. September 2020 and covering the 2018 school
year, found that Australian students are almost
A recent report from the Nous Group (2020) on twice as likely to start school without attending
a review of universal preschool funding for the kindergarten or preschool than the OECD average
Australian Education Council highlights the (OECD 2020). These low attendance figures are
positive impact of federal preschool funding. In likely to be the result of low government subsidies
particular, the rate of participation in preschool in most states and a fractured childcare system.
education has increased significantly (Figure 1)
since 2008. The PISA test also found that students who had
not attended preschool or who had attended for
The report also documents the negative less than a year scored lower in reading at the age
consequences of failing to lock in ongoing funding of 15 than students who had attended for between
for pre-schools and for parents. one and three years – before and after accounting
for student and school socio-economic profiles
The report also highlights that “A recent analysis (OECD 2020).
of the UANP found that every dollar invested
produces a $2 return to the economy. Australian The SSTUWA believes that the continued failure of
governments benefit from their spending the federal government not to guarantee ongoing
on preschool through increased workforce Universal Access to Preschool funding creates
participation, greater overall consumption and significant uncertainty in the sector – thereby
higher tax revenues. Considerable savings are making it significantly harder for it to recruit and
4 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
keep qualified staff – which has a consequential While in Western Australia, the provision of
effect for the children involved. preschool as part of the formal school system is
much more desirable than the mix of privatised
As long as the federal government continues to and community childcare which exists in much
prevaricate on this matter, the certainty required of the rest of Australia, it remains crucial that
for the sector to be able to properly plan and schools are funded for the full fifteen hours of
develop is absent and the effect will be felt across preschool.
the country.
The SSTUWA calls on the state government to guarantee funding for Universal Access to
Preschools, in the event that the federal government withdraws its funding.
Figure 1: Highlights of the UANP’s impact since 2013
(Nous Group 2020)
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
5State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
Schools funding
In 2018 the federal government abandoned the The federal government funds 20 per cent of the
Gonski funding model and endorsed a legislative SRS for public schools, therefore combined state
change allowing the combined federal and state and federal government funding would total 91 per
funding for public schools to be 95 per cent of cent of the SRS.
the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS); while
requiring the combined federal and state funding WA public schools have previously been funded at
for private schools to be 100 per cent of the SRS. 105 per cent of the SRS, which is required due to
That 100 per cent is not inclusive of fees – they are the geography and remoteness of the state, plus
additional. the additional four per cent for other items.
The 95 per cent for public schools is made up of 20 The new funding model represents a shortfall of
per cent from the federal government and 75 per 14 per cent of the minimum amount required to
cent from state and territory governments. properly fund WA public schools.
The bi-lateral agreement signed by the federal This reduction in percentage is a significant loss of
and WA governments in 2018 also allows the funding to public schools. Over the next four years
state government to include up to four per cent the combined loss of state and federal funding
of its total SRS contribution for items that were for WA public schools will be almost $2 billion
originally funded over and above the SRS. The WA dollars.
government has taken up this offer, meaning that
effectively it will be contributing 71 per cent of the
SRS by 2023.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment that public schools will receive 85 per cent of their SRS
funding from the state government.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment from the state government to reinstate, as additional
funding, the four per cent allocated to items not previously included in the SRS.
6 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
2. Wages
Successive state government wages policies have significant portion (typically between one-quarter
been seen by our members as a poor reflection on and one-third) goes right back to government in
the important role they provide to our community. the form of income taxes…Considering all these
Over many years, there has been increasing multiplier effects, government gets back in excess
complexity of teacher, school leader and TAFE of 35 cents for every dollar it spends on public
lecturer roles. A combination of budget cuts and services, and often more” (Stanford 2019).
the introduction of the Independent Public School
(IPS) program have seen school leaders being “The public sector workforce is highly trained
subjected to reduced levels of resourcing and and is concentrated in growing occupations
increased levels of accountability. This has had a that are vital to the state’s economic future and
flow on effect to the work of teachers. social fabric. Around 63 percent of public sector
workers are employed in Education and Training,
The enormous expectations placed on teachers Healthcare and Social Assistance, two of the four
and leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic largest employers in the state. Both industries
have added to the mental health and well-being have continued to expand to meet WA’s needs
concerns of SSTUWA members. There is no for these essential services, provide a welcome
doubt that the planned COVID-19 recovery will source of job-creation despite the state’s overall
incorporate changes to the way in which schools economic challenges” (Murray and Henderson
and colleges are expected to provide for students 2018).
and young adults.
According to Murray and Henderson (2018),
The SSTUWA firmly believes that public sector “continuing growth in public sector compensation
wage policies must reflect the important role that generates positive spillover effects for the rest of
the public sector has and continues to provide the economy.”
to the wider community, not just during the
pandemic but at all times. Investment in the public For these reasons the SSTUWA believes that the
sector will aid the economic recovery of WA and recently announced state government wages
indeed the country. policy is ill-considered and will hinder rather than
stimulate economic growth in WA.
“Public service jobs produce value-added,
contribute to GDP, generate incomes, and Two more years of $1,000 per annum will
drive consumer spending and government tax further distort wage relativities as well as seeing
revenues as surely as any private sector activity… permanent reductions in superannuation growth.
when public servants (like teachers) get paid, a
The SSTUWA seeks:
• A return to percentage-based wage increases.
• A return to genuinely negotiated outcomes through bargaining processes.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
7State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
3. Staffing, student growth and class sizes
Various academic and evidence based research more enrolments over the same period, or 11.6
has demonstrated that student outcomes are per cent growth.
linked to the amount of individual classroom
attention a child receives. It is generally accepted Despite this growth in enrolments, and an
that the more individual attention a student additional 29 new public schools over the past
receives, the better chance they have at achieving decade, there have only been 2,856 more teachers,
their best results. 209 more head of departments (HODs)/head of
WA public school enrolments across the state learning areas (HOLAs)/program coordinators
continue to see regular growth. Over a decade, (PCs) and 174 more deputy principals employed
the WA public school sector has seen 59,253 more between 2011 and 2020.
students enrolled in WA public schools, a growth
of 23 per cent in student numbers. In contrast, And by 2023, another 18 public schools are
non-government schools have only seen 15,614 scheduled to open.
Table 1: Public school staffing figures, Semester 1 census data, 2011-2020
Deputy Ed support Total number
Year Principal HOD/PC Teacher
principal Teacher of active staff
2011 771 1,115 783 13,957 697 17,323
2012 766 1,123 785 14,249 710 17,633
2013 770 1,158 793 14,552 731 17,974
2014 776 1,172 791 14,423 736 17,899
2015 781 1,167 849 14,823 778 18,398
2016 782 1,195 878 15,587 843 19,285
2017 781 1,222 905 16,133 951 19,992
2018 793 1,260 946 16,158 971 20,128
2019 795 1,253 972 16,295 981 20,296
2020 800 1,289 992 16,540 970 20,591
(Department of Education 2020)
The combination of successive budget cuts, of system support to teachers through the loss
increasing school enrolments and changes of specialist teachers such as – Getting It Right
to the schools funding model has seen class Literacy (GIRL) and Getting It Right Numeracy
sizes reaching full capacity. The 2020 Report on (GIRN) specialist teachers.
Government Services highlights WA public schools
in 2018 as having the highest ratio of students With the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
to teachers in Australia – 14.4 (Productivity periods of time students have been disengaged
Commission 2020). This is compared to NT from education, as well as additional pressures
public schools, which have the lowest student- students may be experiencing due to disrupted
teacher ratio in the country, at 12.4 (Productivity home lives/reduced family income, many schools
Commission 2020). require additional support to ensure that each
child is fully re-engaged in education. This
The lack of specialist teachers across the system
includes specialist teaching staff and school
continues to be felt across the state. This means an
inability to provide vital support to teachers and school psychologist time.
communities. Even in those schools lucky enough In addition to the return of Level 3 Classroom
to have a degree of specialist support, without Teacher time, the SSTUWA believes it is crucial
sufficient additional time allocated, the potential to invest in literacy and numeracy specialists
gains from such specialised help are not realised.
to support a variety of students at varying
While the most recent loss of specialised support educational needs. Prior to the 2013 education
has been the Level 3 Classroom Teacher time budget cuts, schools had funds to be able to
component, there has been a significant loss provide GIRL and GIRN specialist teachers.
8 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
The SSTUWA seeks an increase in teaching and support staff to lower class sizes and
decrease teacher-student ratios.
The SSTUWA seeks to ensure that funding increases in each state budget will:
• Properly meet the increase in student growth.
• Take into account the greater increase in student share being experienced in public
schools in comparison to the private sector.
The SSTUWA seeks to ensure that there is an adequate number of teaching staff so that the
student-teacher ratio in WA public schools can be reduced to at least 12.4.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment to the provision of additional teachers for specialist
support in literacy and numeracy.
The SSTUWA seeks the reinstatement of the 0.1 time allocation for every Level 3 Classroom
Teacher.
The SSTUWA seeks an increase of 100 FTE in the number of school psychologists.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
9State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
4. The status of teaching
The gradual decline in the status of the teaching • It fails to serve as a tool for improvement;
profession over the last three decades is reflective
• By conducting this test at the end of an
of a number of factors.
individual’s ITE course it leads to the accrual of
One of these has been the willingness of a HECS debt with uncertain prospects of being
universities to accept entrants to the teaching able to enter the profession at the conclusion of
profession with very basic ATAR scores – as low the course.
as 30 in some institutions! While the SSTUWA is • It allows the university to attract government
cognisant of the risks of making assumptions as to funding for students with reduced prospects of
potential teaching capacity based on ATAR scores success.
alone, the fact remains that with such low ATAR
entry requirements, one of the consequences has The AEU/SSTUWA believes that it is far more
been to contribute to a fall in the status of the beneficial to ensure that minimum entrance
profession. standards are in place prior to commencing ITE,
with a rigorous support system to ensure that
Australian Education Union (AEU)/SSTUWA policy beginning teachers are successful in their early
is to support the establishment of a minimum years of teaching.
ATAR score of 70 for entry into Initial Teacher
Education (ITE) courses in any Australian While the SSTUWA acknowledges that there
university. may be exceptional circumstances for alternate
pathways into ITE, such as illness, these should be
The Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher the exception and not the norm. It is not clear how
Education (LANTITE) students that is currently many students entered WA teaching courses with
taken at the end of a university teaching course is ATARs below 70.
flawed for a number of reasons:
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment from the state government to support a minimum ATAR
entrance score of 70 into Initial Teacher Education courses.
The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait and projects is crucial and currently the
Islander teachers, school leaders and TAFE Department of Education – with its cultural
lecturers in our public system is shamefully responsive leadership and a real desire to
low because of the inactions of the Barnett increase the number of Aboriginal educators and
Government. In 2020, there are 26,688 students leaders within the public school system – is in a
who have identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait unique position to make this happen.
Islanders.
We acknowledge the work of the Department of
Successful engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Education, particularly in relation to the Aboriginal
Strait Islander people in the teaching profession Aspirant Leadership Program, the AIEO on
is essential to educational success for children/ Country teaching course through Curtin University
young people, their families and communities. and support of the Follow the Dream cadetship.
Clear pathways and partnerships to enhance the However, despite these initiatives and the
attraction, retention and success of Aboriginal development and introduction of the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander teachers in pre-service Cultural Standards Framework to support
teacher education, setting them on course for Aboriginal students, more needs to be done to
various careers within the public school system, support current and future Aboriginal and Torres
requires systemic actions. Strait Islander teachers, school leaders and TAFE
lecturers, and attract more Aboriginal and Torres
The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Strait Islander people to the profession.
Islander peoples in the leadership of initiatives
10 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment to a continued focus on improving:
• Specific mentoring programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wishing
to become teachers, school leaders and TAFE lecturers.
• Attraction, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers,
school leaders and TAFE lecturers to the public school system.
The SSTUWA seeks a fully-funded strategy to encourage culturally responsive leadership
and develop concrete actions to support the implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural
Standards Framework.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
11State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
5. Attraction and retention
In its 2017 state election position paper, the has had a significant impact on the level of support
SSTUWA made the following observations about available for regional schools, including curriculum
attraction and retention of staff in rural areas: support, professional development, student services,
operations management, professionally consultancy,
Attracting quality teachers, school leaders and etc. It is recognised that for rural areas the
other staff to schools in rural and remote areas has networks model is not suited because of geographic
been an ongoing challenge over many years. Due to challenges. In particular, SSTUWA members note the
geographic, job quality or perceived disadvantages, lack of relief teacher availability in regional schools.
remote schools are not seen as an attractive
employment option for the majority of education Additionally, funding for maintenance in ageing
staff. State government should be highlighting the schools and access to tradesmen in rural locations
qualities of rural employment, ensuring that rural continues to be a challenge.
schools are attractive worksites and providing the
right incentives to retain experienced staff. The Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH)
attraction and retention of school leaders in regional standards have declined significantly over the last
locations also continues to be an issue. In many decade. Housing and rent assistance, particularly in
cases, there is a lack of leadership and support for regional locations in the Pilbara and Kimberley, does
new school leaders in remote schools. Professional not adequately cover rental and living costs. The sale
development and coaching for new school leaders is of the GROH portfolio and its assets, as flagged in
not resourced sufficiently, and often leaves leaders the 2015 state budget, will further limit affordable
to face situations without experience or support. housing options. If GROH is privatised, the service
will be forced to cut costs in order to ensure a profit,
There are several impediments, either real or which will further reduce standards. (SSTUWA 2017)
perceived, which contribute to a lack of enthusiasm
from education staff to take up positions in regional The SSTUWA reiterates its position on providing
areas. The current, very limited, staff transfer appropriate, affordable, clean and regularly
system offers little incentive or reward for regional maintained accommodation in regional and
school placement and makes transfers back to remote communities for teachers and school
metropolitan schools challenging. This is a major leaders.
impediment to attracting experienced teachers to While there have been some small improvements
regional schools. as a result of the most recent General Agreement
Support for regional schools continues to be an negotiations, the basic problems identified in 2017
issue. The closure of district office level support remain.
The SSTUWA seeks broader policy that aims to attract and retain quality staff in rural
schools including:
• Housing and allowances in country locations.
• Incentives.
• Addressing selection process issues in both being appointed to rural areas and
returning to the metropolitan area.
• Retraining.
• Attracting experienced teachers.
• Ensuring rural worksites are of high quality.
The SSTUWA calls for the following specific policy changes in regard to regional schools
and teachers:
• Greater flexibility in the staff transfer system to guarantee a pathway of return from
12 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
regional to metropolitan school placement and the capacity to maintain permanency
on return.
• Recognition amongst metropolitan merit selection panel chairs of the complexities
and subsequent skill sets of country-based teachers and leaders.
• Positive affirmation professional learning.
• Recognition that leadership should be assessed primarily on skill set and endeavours
more so than accomplishments over time.
• A review of the Regional Transfer System application process.
• Permanency offered to all regional teaching appointments.
• Reversal of funding cuts and sale of GROH, and adequate rent allowances for regional
teachers that are increased at the rate of the consumer price index (CPI) annually.
• A review of the Tenant Rent Setting Framework Policy, specifically in regards to the
calculation of GROH rents based on Perth median rental prices, age of the house,
quality of the house, distance from major centres and capped increases.
• Increased spending on GROH maintenance to ensure a targeted program of
improvements.
• Expansion of the five days of additional sick/carers leave, currently included in the CTP
and RTS, to all regional locations.
• An extension of the period for which air conditioning allowances are payable.
• An increase in the air conditioning allowance.
• Introduction of funded mentor positions for new teachers appointed to regional
locations.
• The reinstatement of district office level support to increase access for regional
teachers to support services.
• Expansion of the relief teacher flying squad to ensure access to relief teachers in
regional schools.
• Increased funding for regional school maintenance and greater access to
tradespersons in regional areas.
• Parity in allowances for school psychologists in regional areas.
• That the Department of Education investigate the feasibility of salary packaging
options, including mortgages, for employees in regional areas.
The SSTUWA calls for:
• A continuation of the freeze of the 2017 GROH rent increases for teachers and school
leaders and a commitment that there will be no further increases for the term of this
state government.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
13State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
6. Buildings maintenance and repairs
Maintaining a clean, safe and engaging learning maintenance totalling $16 million (2013 Building
environment in every school is critical to the Condition Assessment, 2014). In addition, five
health, well-being, safety and performance of all schools needed over $1 million each to address
students and staff. It is commonly accepted that maintenance issues and many were in rural
school infrastructure must be maintained to a high locations (2013 Building Condition Assessment,
level and that all students and staff have the right 2014). More recent information could not be
to a safe and clean environment. located.
A school environment where staff and students The SSTUWA acknowledges and welcomes
struggle with issues such as poor lighting, ageing the injection of $456.23 million of new funding
infrastructure, unhygienic lavatory conditions announced by the McGowan Government in the
or general maintenance problems is unlikely to 2020-21 state budget as part of the WA COVID-19
be safe, let alone engaging. Ensuring adequate Recovery Plan.
funding is invested in the school maintenance
program is a basic, core function of the state However, a continuing investment is required,
government’s education portfolio. over and above the $456.23 million, as the
amount allocated for maintenance is insufficient.
Infrastructure conditions in many Western Many ageing WA schools remain in chronic
Australian public schools are currently below need of maintenance funding. For example, roof
standard. The Department of Education Building replacements alone for the majority of secondary
Condition Assessment (BCA) report, which is schools which are older than 50 years requires a
released every two years and provides a detailed major financial expenditure.
cost analysis of school maintenance required
for each school, listed a $136 million backlog As the COVID-19 recovery proceeds, we call on
in 2013. Over two thirds of public schools are the state government to allocate further funds to
listed as risk level one, or in need of urgent maintenance across the public school system.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment that capital funding for the maintenance and repairs
of WA public schools remains a priority of the state government and calls for a properly
resourced, planned program of school maintenance which:
• Prioritises immediate funding to clear priority level one (serious) maintenance
backlog issues.
• Articulates a plan to clear the full backlog of identified maintenance issues in a timely
manner.
• Is preventative in the nature, rather than reactive.
• Ensures all school sites meet health and safety standards.
• Addresses IT infrastructure issues in older buildings, with a focus on rural and remote
areas.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment that new-build schools include appropriate areas to
accommodate external specialist support teams, working with students in need.
The SSTUWA further seeks a state government commitment to replace temporary
classrooms with purpose built permanent facilities.
14 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
7. Digital inclusion
Information and communication technologies (ICT) The SSTUWA has significant concerns that the
have become fundamental in the digital world reliance and success of ICT infrastructure and
of the 21st century; our 21st century children integration is overly dependent on the knowledge,
have had a good start. Many students enter expertise and enthusiasm of school leadership
school being familiar with the basic operations rather than systemic support and processes. This
of computers, tablets and other mobile devices. is not an adequate or appropriate solution to the
However, teachers need to be able to deliver the provision of equitable and sustainable high quality
curriculum using this technology to adequately public education across WA.
inform, motivate and interest students.
The SSTUWA notes that the Australian curriculum
Technological infrastructure, resources and contains an ICT component embedded across the
support across WA’s public schools are both curriculum and ICT is specifically referenced in the
inadequate and inequitably distributed. In addition, general capabilities. However, without the funding
recent research (Preston 2020) has highlighted for ICT infrastructure, teaching resources, ongoing
significant barriers students face in accessing professional development for teachers and school
technology in their home environments: leaders, and systemic support, schools can only
offer what is within their limited resources and
• “Digital inclusion requires intentional capabilities.
strategies and investments to reduce and
eliminate historical, institutional and structural The SSTUWA believes that the current funding
barriers to access and use technology” (US arrangements for public schools have not
National Digital Inclusion Alliance 2020, quoted accounted for:
in Preston 2020).
• The increasing costs of ICT infrastructure
• In 2016, over 12,000 WA public school students (including maintenance/replacement/support)
did not access the internet. Over half of these or associated utility costs.
students (6,297 students) came from the Perth
Metropolitan area; 2,070 students from Perth’s • Dedicated ICT support staff for the
South East. (Preston 2020) management of equipment and infrastructure
at the school/TAFE site.
• In 2016, 15 per cent of all WA public school
students who lived in unsuitable housing did • Dedicated ICT support staff for teachers, school
not have internet access. Unsuitable housing is leaders and TAFE lecturers.
based on an “insufficient number of bedrooms • Funded ongoing professional development
for the number and demographics of dwelling required for teachers, school leaders and TAFE
residents. Such unsuitable housing makes it lecturers to keep up with emerging technology
difficult for students to have the space and and/or its use an educational tool.
quiet to successfully study, complete homework
The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the
or undertake schoolwork at home” (Preston
inadequate infrastructure capabilities across WA
2020).
schools and TAFEs and the resources needed to
• In 2016, 29 per cent of WA Aboriginal and support remote learning.
Torres Strait Islander public school students
did not have internet access. (Preston 2020) In addition recent research has indicated that
“even if students and their families have full digital
Public education provides a pivotal role in inclusion, there are other reasons why remote
providing high quality education to current learning was difficult or impossible for many
and future Western Australian students. It is students...including domestic violence (in many
essential that capital funding and recurrent cases arising from new circumstances of sudden
funding is provided for the Education and Training unemployment and isolation at home, even if
departments to support the management, employed (Taub 2020, referenced in Preston 2020)
distribution, maintenance, repair and replacement overcrowded or insecure housing, and lack of
associated with ICT infrastructure and utilities for proficiency in English” (Preston 2020).
our public schools and TAFEs.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
15State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
The SSTUWA seeks:
• The funding of ICT in schools to be by way of a targeted initiative in addition to the
Student Centred Funding Model (SCFM) and specifically included in state government
budgets.
• The provision of dedicated ICT support staff for the management of equipment and
infrastructure at school/TAFE sites.
• The provision of dedicated ICT staff to support teachers, school leaders and TAFE
lecturers.
• Funded, ongoing professional development necessary for teachers, school leaders and
TAFE lecturers to keep up with emerging technology and/or its use as an educational
tool.
• Technological resources to be made available to students free of charge, including
regular maintenance and replacement [no bring your own device (BYOD)].
16 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
8. Strengthening system support for our public schools and staff
The SSTUWA position in relation to the As stated in the 2017 document, the focus on the
Independent Public Schools (IPS) initiative has rhetoric of school choice comes at the expense
been well documented over the last decade. In WA of those schools which are not able to attract
there are now in excess of 600 IPS worksites. As applicants due to the nature of the student
stated in our 2017 state election position paper the cohort and/or their geographic location. As
degree to which the IPS model is now embedded predicted by the SSTUWA this is beginning to have
in the system has revealed significant flaws, the consequences for the capacity of some schools
most significant of which is the tendency towards to attract and keep staff, which has the further
individualism and competition between schools consequences of limiting curriculum choice and
rather than collaboration and support for each developing a toxic culture of competition between
other. This tendency is magnified in particular public schools.
by staffing practices designed to reinforce the
rhetoric of school choice and autonomy at the The SSTUWA continues to seek changes to staff
expense of building and supporting system placement processes.
capacity for the benefit of all.
The SSTUWA seeks:
• An immediate review of staff placement procedures, with a focus on redeployment
protocols, to ensure fair placement for all public school staff.
• The implementation of a centrally provided change management process to ensure
minimal risk in the introduction of mandated policies and practices.
• The reintroduction of school support mechanisms, including specialist staff, through
regional offices, noting that a variety of models may be appropriate to ensure that
schools’ needs are met.
• An adjustment to the Student Centred Funding Model which ensures students in
district high schools have access to a broad and comprehensive secondary curriculum.
• The re-establishment of localised district level support, especially in rural areas.
Members of the SSTUWA have repeatedly raised Fitzgerald, in conjunction with researchers from
concerns about their increasing workloads which: the University of Sydney and the University of New
South Wales, 42.9 percent of SSTUWA respondents
• Affect their ability to prepare, teach and follow felt their workload demands conflicted with their
up properly. family responsibilities (Fitzgerald et al. 2019).
• Have a detrimental effect on their health and More than 91 percent of SSTUWA respondents
well-being. indicated that their administrative tasks had
increased and that these tasks take them
• Have deterred many from pursuing higher
away from their core teaching and learning
career aspirations, including leadership, due to
responsibilities (Fitzgerald et al. 2019).
fears of more stress.
Workload issues for teachers, school leaders and More worryingly, a large number of these tasks
TAFE lecturers have been mounting for some were felt to be system compliance tasks with little
considerable time. These have been further or no relevance to the core business of teaching.
exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Dr Fitzgerald’s research highlighted the need
the expectation and pressure for educators to for schools to be properly resourced to meet
prepare resources for their students in anticipation the diverse needs of student cohorts, which are
of widespread school and TAFE closures. increasingly complex in nature, and to whom
In a 2018 survey conducted by Curtin University public schools are increasingly being called upon
senior lecturer and discipline lead, Scott to provide support.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
17UNDERSTANDING WORK IN WA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
Figure 2: Top five ranked strategies to support educators in their work
Top Five
Survey Rankedwere
respondents Strategies
provided with 14 strategies that may assist with their work; they were asked to
rank the strategies in order of priority. These are the five highest ranked support strategies:
1. Providing more specialist teacher support for students with special needs.
2. Reducing face-to-face teaching time for teachers, HODS, HOLAs, Deputy Principals and
Principals to increase collaboration on planning, programming, assessing, and reporting.
3. Ensuring that there is consultation prior to any significant change, reform or initiative to
ensure it has educational value & to determine the time & resources necessary to support
effective implementation in schools.
4. More effective system-level planning to prevent imposing competing workload demands on
schools and/or unrealistic time frames.
5. Alternative program and settings for students with behavioural/emotional/mental health
issues
Table 11: Top 5 strategies (Fitzgerald et al. 2019)
Since 2017 there have been small improvements K-10 curriculum resources as called for in the
in the levels
PROVIDE of support provided to schools. Some
SUPPORT lead up to the 2017 state election and negotiated
of these have been a direct result of General in the 2019 General Agreement should alleviate a
The topgains,
Agreement ranked
suchstrategy was:
as the curriculum significant amount of the time currently taken for
documents, the collegiate principal position and planning and preparation. For this to be the case
the1.expansion of the Leadership Centre to include
Providing more specialist teacher support we for
believe it is important
students that theneeds.
with special Department
the provision of professional learning for all of Education mandates the documents as the
employees covered by the General Agreement. principal mechanism for the delivery of the WA
It was not surprising that this was the top curriculum
The SSTUWA anticipates that the provision of
requirements.
ranked strategy given that, in Table 7,
‘developing other strategies to meet the learning needs of students (e.g. those with
special needs, low-engagement/ attainment etc.)’ was ranked by the largest
percentage of respondents as the work activity that required more time and
resources. The diversity of student needs within classrooms, and the requirement for
teachers to differentiate learning for particular students means many teachers feel
they are spread too thinly and seek additional specialists and teacher aides for
support. Comments from respondents about the complexity of supporting special
need students were exemplified in the following comments:
“The extra work load associated with having special needs children has
drastically increased. You get no extra provision in your DOTT but are expected
to complete a lot of extra tasks for one child”. (#10364745607)
18 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
The SSTUWA calls for:
• The development of a positive health and well-being framework that recognises the
vastness of WA and the contextualised challenges of its schools and their staffs.
• Professional learning to build positive school environments, managing complex and
developmental trauma and preventative, restorative and responsive teacher training.
• Sufficient additional FTE of trained professionals to support schools and teachers for
students exhibiting challenging and complex behaviours.
• Funding to cover the allocation of trained, dedicated finance professionals, to assist
principals in managing their one-line budgets.
• The reinstatement of funding for Level Three Classroom Teacher positions and
professional learning support.
• Clear direction regarding the use of the curriculum documents agreed to in the
Schools General Agreement 2019.
• An expansion in the numbers of collegiate principals.
• A clear commitment to the role of the collegiate principal being to build and support
principal capacity.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
19State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
9. Safety in schools
The SSTUWA acknowledges the state government The SSTUWA also recommends resourced
and Department of Education in supporting and strategies to support management of a range of
developing resources to make schools safer challenging student behaviour. Student defiance,
workplaces for staff with the Let’s Take a Stand refusal and other at risk behaviours are not
Together – 10 Point Plan. conducive to that student or others’ learning.
Programs and support services need to be
The 2013 “Keeping Our Workplaces Safe” available to students and staff to tailor programs
agreement between the Department of Education, and support to those students.
the Police Department and the SSTUWA builds on
previous examples of collaborative approaches to Prior to the 2013 budget cuts across education
dealing with challenging student behaviour. and many community organisations, schools
and parents/carers had access to a range
In 2008, the Behaviour Management and of community services to support child and
Development (BMAD) funding and clauses in the adolescent mental health and well-being.
Schools General Agreement provided funding for
specialised support staff and reduced class sizes The SSTUWA believes that it is particularly
in recognition of the increased supports needed to important that support services within the school
deal with challenging behaviour. and those community services available for the
school and parents/careers to access are able to
The need for systemic resources and be accessed and supported through government
infrastructure to support students who exhibit funding to ensure the mental health and well-
extreme or defiant behaviour is on-going and a being of our students.
learning program or resource cannot simply be
created and expected to meet the needs of future It is not clear what on-going impact the COVID-19
students challenging behaviour. pandemic will have on the mental health and well-
being of students, particularly if they experience
The 2019 KPMG report into Alternative Learning trauma and/or domestic violence as a result of
Settings (KPMG 2019), has highlighted the need their families’ loss of employment or income,
for specialised support programs for students family health and deaths.
exhibiting extreme and violent behaviour.
Recent media reports have highlighted varying
Initial Alternative Learning Settings (ALS) pilot defiant and violent behaviour of students as they
sites in North Metropolitan, South Metropolitan have returned to school throughout this pandemic.
and Southwest education regions were established The social isolation and family pressures have and
from Term 1 2019, with specialised teaching staff will continue to create a pressure point that will
receiving training prior to term commencement. manifest in negative student behaviour, without
A fourth site is due to open in the Kimberley – adequate and on-going support structures in
Broome during Term 4 2020. place.
The SSTUWA seeks an increase in mental health and well-being support services for staff –
within the school environment and externally.
The SSTUWA seeks practical strategies and additional resources to enact points nine and
10 of the Let’s Take a Stand Together – 10 Point Plan, and recognition of the importance of
the provision of access to a range of community services to support child and adolescent
mental health and well-being.
The SSTUWA seeks an investment to support system needs for professional learning
specifically to deal with extreme student behaviour issues such as violence, refusals,
defiance and other at risk behaviours.
20 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
The SSTUWA calls for an expansion of programs designed to address student behavioural
issues and at-risk students. This includes additional specialist teaching staff.
The SSTUWA calls for an expansion of Alternative Learning Settings, including at least one
ALS in each education region.
The SSTUWA calls for a Complex Response Team to be developed and properly resourced to
support all schools across WA.
The SSTUWA calls for a reduction in class sizes where students with known complex and
developmental trauma issues are present.
The SSTUWA calls for a renewed commitment to the Minister’s Let’s Take A Stand Together
– 10 Point Plan to address violence in schools. In particular, additional funding and support
is required to address these points:
1. Principals to suspend students who attack other students or start fights.
2. Principals to automatically move to exclude any student who physically attacks school
staff.
3. New alternative learning settings for the most violent students.
4. Clear advice for principals, teachers and education assistants on authority and
responsibility to take action.
5. Provide training and support for school staff.
6. New ‘good standing’ requirements to be added to school behaviour policies.
7. Free parenting program for parents of young children.
8. Review critical incident reporting and monitoring.
9. Spark a community conversation about violence in schools – with community leaders
and others.
10. Premier’s Youth Forum to give young people a voice and let them identify actions they
believe could address violence in the community.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
21State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
10. COVID-19: Implications for the future
The SSTUWA acknowledges the commitments • Paid at 100 per cent of the employee’s pay, so
already made by the state government as part of workers are not financially penalised for being
the WA Recovery Plan. sick and therefore not incentivised to attend
work whilst sick or infectious.
The SSTUWA commends the introduction of
additional cleaning staff in schools in 2020, • Funded by government but administered by
which has contributed to higher student and staff the employer (such as the JobKeeper wage
attendance rates, reducing commonly witnessed subsidy scheme). Australia already has several
winter illnesses. examples of government subsidisation of
employee leave and wages including COVID-19
The SSTUWA acknowledges the agreement specific JobKeeper and apprentice wage
between the state government and the federal subsidies, and paid parental leave where the
government to deliver Pandemic Leave Disaster Commonwealth Government pays qualifying
Payments. However, the SSTUWA believes parents $740 per week for 18 weeks. The
that paid pandemic leave should be provided economic cost of providing paid pandemic leave
to public school teachers, school leaders and is modest compared to the economic costs of a
TAFE lecturers; employees who are essential pandemic.
in supporting the economic stability during this
pandemic and beyond. The SSTUWA requests that a centralised and
coordinated plan be developed in the event of
The SSTUWA is seeking paid pandemic leave that future pandemic restrictions/closures of our
is: state’s public schools and TAFEs.
• Comprehensive: up to two weeks on each The SSTUWA believes that TAFE is well positioned
occasion a worker is required to self-isolate or to provide the education, skills and development
quarantine and not able to attend or perform to Western Australians as we navigate our way
work as a result. through and out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Universal: covers all workers, regardless of
contract status or employment relationship.
The SSTUWA strongly recommends paid pandemic leave be incorporated into future
Schools General Agreements and TAFE General Agreements.
The SSTUWA recommends the retention of improved cleaning standards at worksites, which
contribute to higher student and staff attendance rates.
22 Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.State Election 2021: The SSTUWA’s Position
TAFE
TAFE has been a well established and trusted high quality public training and education to help
symbol for Technical and Further Education in Western Australians prepare for their working
Western Australia. It has a long history of positive lives, retrain to start a new career or further
outcomes and is a vital institution within our develop their skills and knowledge whilst being
society. We all know someone who has benefited a conduit to increased economic recovery post
from receiving an education through TAFE or is in COVID-19.
the process of receiving one.
It is not only in the direct outcomes and value that
Subsequent funding deficits have placed this the TAFE sector provides economic and social
most valuable institution at risk. A recent report benefits: “Despite years of significant funding
by the Centre for Future Work (Pennington 2020) pressure and policy confusion, the TAFE system
highlights the profound and valuable benefits continues to make a strong and disproportionate
of the vocational education and training (VET) economic and social contribution to the Australian
sector, that produces outcomes above and economy” (Pennington 2020). It makes economic
beyond its economic costs to both federal and and fiscal sense to fund a system that continues
state governments. It is a sector that has been to punch above its weight in terms of outcomes
decimated by previous policy failures. versus funding.
The world has been rocked by the recent effects We congratulate the state government for the
of the global pandemic and the economic and recent $57 million recovery package for the WA
social impacts of this pandemic are becoming TAFE and training sector through the reduction in
apparent; as we move beyond the initial impact we fees and short courses, which will enable many
need to look towards recovery. TAFE is well placed in the community to access TAFE. The investment
to positively contribute to help our society meet of $167.4 million in TAFE infrastructure is
these challenges. also welcomed. However, this also brings new
challenges of meeting the subsequent increase
The TAFE system continues to be a valuable in activity. We have four key areas that will enable
institution within Western Australia and it is vital TAFE to meet these challenges and continue to
that it is resourced fully to continue to provide play its special role in supporting the WA economy.
1. Quality teaching, training and learning
If the Western Australian government wants to • Create and maintain quality learning
support quality delivery and learning experiences, experiences.
funding must be provided to ensure that learning
• Cater for students with special needs.
and skills development is to the depth and breadth
required by the key stakeholders: students, • Ensure appropriate and safe class sizes.
communities, industries, employers and the • Develop and implement blended modes of
government. delivery where appropriate based on course
To understand the need to adequately fund content and student cohort.
delivery and learning it is critical to have an • Support delivery and assessment in face-to-
awareness of what it takes to: face classes for positive outcomes for all.
The SSTUWA seeks funding to support quality teaching, training and learning.
The SSTUWA seeks sufficient qualified staff to meet increased student enrolment.
The SSTUWA seeks a commitment that TAFE is the priority VET provider in Western Australia.
The SSTUWA seeks the return of TAFE course fees to their pre-2013 levels and an
expansion of subsidised courses, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.), 1 West St, West Perth WA 6005. November 2020. Printed by the SSTUWA.
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