Twenty-three Tasmanian Government schools have been selected to be part of an innovative partnership between the Australian Government and the Tasmanian Government. 

The Minister for Education and Skills, Nick McKim, said today that the Empowering Local Schools National Partnership aimed to improve student outcomes by increasing the capacity of principals, parents and school communities to be involved in making decisions about governance, leadership and innovation.

"Expressions of Interest were open to all Tasmanian Government Schools," Mr McKim said.

"Forty-six schools submitted an Expression of Interest and successful schools were nominated after a selection process conducted by senior department officers and a representative from the State Parents and Friends Inc.

"Tasmanian Government schools already demonstrate a relatively high level of local decision making.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to further strengthen and improve our practices."

Under the initiative, more than $1 million has been made available to support the capacity of principals, parents and school communities in making decisions to drive student improvement in innovative and creative ways.

Senator Evans said the Gillard Government is investing $62.2 million to the Empowering Local Schools initiative to support almost 1000 government and non-government schools to participate in Phase One of the initiative.

"Each participating school will receive a one-off start-up grant of between $40,000-$50,000 to support their Empowering Local Schools initiatives," he said.

"As well, $77,000 in funding will be provided for training and professional development for principals and school communities through the Department of Education's Professional Learning Institute.

"The Tasmanian Government education system will receive a further $909,000 to support changed administrative arrangements. This will include development of a student administration and school data management system to support participating schools."

Mr McKim said that every school community was unique and this project enables them to make decisions on how to better respond to local needs.

"Some schools have expressed an interest in exploring innovative models of school governance in relation to how communities and schools work together whilst others are developing innovative approaches in the use of technology to communicate with their school communities and strengthen links to learning," he said.

Mr McKim said that the successful schools would start the 2013 school year as active Plus Schools.

"Plus School principals with be supported through the Network structure as well as professional learning and leadership opportunities.

"I congratulate the 23 successful schools on their selection and look forward to meeting with the schools' principals, school association representatives and school executive officers in Launceston on 25 July for a workshop about this wonderful opportunity."

 

The successful schools are:

Burnie High School

Cygnet Primary School

East Tamar Federation  (Brooks High School, Rocherlea Primary, Mayfield Primary School, Mowbray Heights Primary School, Invermay Primary School)

Dodges Ferry Primary School

Howrah Primary School

Lenah Valley Primary School

Moonah Primary School

Mountain Heights School

Norwood Primary School

Riverside Primary School & Riverside High School

Snug Primary School

Taroona High School

Waimea Heights Primary School & Sandy Bay Infant School

Waverley Primary School & Ravenswood Heights Primary School

West Launceston Primary School

Windermere Primary School