Education providers: the government wants your $.02

Early childhood education experts, it’s time to put fingers to keyboards. Terms of reference for the Productivity Commission inquiry into the national school and early childhood education evidence base have been released.

The commission is compiling evidence on education data, based on terms of reference, that is, a specified framework. Using this information, it will make policy recommendations to the government. Any member of the public can make a submission to the inquiry, using the terms of reference as a guide.

The summarised terms are:

• The effectiveness of current data at national, state and sector levels in supporting educational outcomes
• Whether additional data could be used to support educational outcomes, for instance, data on non-cognitive skills
• Barriers to the sharing of educational data and ways of overcoming these barriers
• How technology can enhance data collection and reporting
• The financial and administrative impact on childcare providers of any proposed change in data collection practices
• International early childhood education data sharing and evidence collection methods and whether these can be applied in Australia

In a statement, education minister Simon Birmingham and treasurer Scott Morrison said, “Each day schools and early childhood education providers throughout Australia generate data that, if harnessed, could significantly help students achieve better education outcomes…[and ensure] education funding is used as effectively as possible.”

A spokesperson for the commission said an issues paper, outlining specific matters it is seeking information on, would be released in the next few weeks.

The commission is expected to deliver its recommendations to the government in nine months.

The full terms of reference can be viewed here, and submissions can be made here.

Do you have an idea for a story?
Email [email protected]