6 June 2023

Jeremy Rockliff, Premier

Investing to improve literacy outcomes in Tasmania

The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to improving literacy outcomes in Tasmania as we believe that every Tasmanian child has a fundamental right to learn to read, write and spell.

The Government’s Literacy Advisory Panel has now delivered its final report outlining recommendations to reach the aspirational goal of 100 per cent functional literacy.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the Report outlines 23 priority recommendations for lifting literacy in Tasmania and provides a Community-wide Framework, which community organisations and others can use to align their literacy efforts and work.

“Our Government wants every Tasmanian child to have the best possible opportunities in life, and our clear goal is for Tasmania to have 100 per cent functional literacy,” the Premier said.

“That’s why we have accepted all of the priority* recommendations, with $6.5 million over four years allocated in the 2023-24 Budget to start this important work.

“An independent Literacy Outcomes Monitoring Group, including a person with expertise in outcomes measurement, at least one Tasmanian with lived experience and a representative from the Australian Education Research Organisation, will be established to monitor progress and outcomes.

“Members of this Group will be selected through an EOI process, which I expect to be finalised by September 2023.

“The Department of Premier and Cabinet will develop the First 3-Year Implementation Plan by later this year, in close consultation with the education and community sectors.

“The Government will also ensure that 25% of primary schools across Tasmania are implementing structured literacy for K-2 in 2024, with all primary schools to be implementing structured literacy by 2026.

“The Year 1 Phonics Check will also be implemented in every school in Term 3 this year, with statewide aggregated results to be made public before the end of the year.”

In considering the large number of suggested recommendations from community consultation, the Panel considered it important to prioritise the recommendations it considers will make most difference to lifting literacy in Tasmania.

It has provided the Government with a list of additional recommendations which we will consider in future years.
Further announcements in relation to the Board and the First 3-Year Implementation Plan will be made before the end of the year. 

*Recommendations include:

1. Expanding the role of the B4 coalition to help families support their child’s early oral language development
2. Initiating a community-wide campaign to lift literacy in Tasmania
3. Adding a further child health assessment for all 18 month old children
4. A minimum schooling guarantee prescribing a systematic approach to teaching literacy aligned with the science of reading evidence base and mandating the National Year 1 phonics check in Term 3 each year
5. Ensuring graduates are skilled to deliver quality structured literacy teaching, and ongoing professional development in literacy for every teacher every year
6. Improving access to professional development for the adult and early childhood education and care literacy workforce, including volunteers
7. Developing a Tasmanian Literacy Workforce Attraction and Retention Strategy
8. Improving access to referrals to health or allied health professionals for students most in need of literacy support
9. A greater role for Libraries Tasmania in literacy development
10. Encouraging and supporting the Australian Government to develop and implement a national strategy to renew the adult language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy education workforce
11. Commissioning the 26TEN coalition to lead and advise on adult literacy capability data collections

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