Introducing the Compact:Roles and responsibilities in Victorian Government School EducationMarch 2013

Overview• In 2011 Minister Dixon committed to developing a Compact

between government schools and the Department • The intent of the Compact: Roles and responsibilities in

Victorian government school education (the Compact) is to clarify the roles and responsibilities of schools and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (‘the Department’), aligned to a set of principles that support the Government’s school education reform agenda

• The Compact was developed in consultation with key stakeholders and the Compact - Consultation Draft was released alongside Towards Victoria as a Learning Community on 15 November 2012

• Following further consultation in late 2012, the Compact was revised and released in Term 1, 2013

What is the Compact?• The Compact supports shared understanding between Victorian

government schools and the Department regarding their respective roles and responsibilities

• The Compact: clarifies existing responsibilities of schools and the Department describes existing flexibility available to schools in the management of

resources and operations outlines the role of the Department in providing support, resources

and guidance

• It describes the changing relationship between schools and the Department, in the context of increased autonomy and professional trust, and aims to empower schools to deliver their core responsibilities in a way that is targeted and relevant to their local context

• The Compact is not an accountability document, and does not replace existing accountability documentation

The Purpose - why have a Compact?• The Compact was developed to support the Government’s vision for

Victorian government school education - that is, a quality education system underpinned by autonomy, professional trust, and accountability and support

• The Compact aims to support school communities in this changing context by:

providing a concise, easy-to-read overview of the existing roles and responsibilities of both schools and the Department

describing the ways in which schools and the Department should work together to support the learning and development of children and young people

• The Compact is a living document and will be updated regularly in accordance with changing legislation, regulations, government policy and stakeholder feedback

Discussion Questions

1. How could we use the Compact on an ongoing basis to support our school improvement journey?

2. Which of the principles outlined in the Compact are real strengths in our school and which would we like to develop further?

3. Which of the school responsibilities do we consider to be areas of strength in our school? And what are some examples of what this looks like in practice?

4. Are there any school responsibilities that we are unclear about or would like to work on further? If so, how might we go about this?

5. Are there any Department responsibilities that we would like to know more about?