Independent Public Schools of Excellence (IPSE)
Innovation 200 is developing a school-based movement for innovation in our public schools by bringing together parents and teachers.
We want 50% of public schools across Australia to become Independent Public Schools of Excellence (IPSE), run by independent boards as non-fee-paying public schools, with full autonomy in curriculum, pedagogy and HR.
The Project is based on WA’s Independent Public Schools model.
It is Convened by Veronica Stephan-Miller on behalf of Innovation 200.
Expressions of Interest are invited from parents, teachers, education innovators and administrators, and from businesses interested in partnering with us.
The Problem
Our public schools are in a dreadful state. No government has any intention of doing anything about it. We need a large-scale alliance of teachers and parents to drive innovation in our schools.
The reason for the stalemate in fixing our schools is clear – we have a political stand-off between Left and Right.
- The Left thinks spending more money on public schools will improve their quality, while all the evidence shows this doesn’t happen.
- The Right continually talks about declining standards and outcomes, but has no motivation to turn it around because it has a preference for private schools anyway.
The battle between these two positions results in a 0-0 draw. Nothing happens.
- Teachers are rarely able to teach as they would like.
- Principals tend to drown in micro-management.
- Parents search far and wide for schools that may be more suited to their child, and increasingly choose to pay fees which stretch family budgets to breaking point.
The Opportunity
Western Australia has pioneered the way forward by introducing ‘independent public schools’ in 2009. This began as an opt-in scheme within the state’s Department of Education whereby individual state schools could choose to become an ‘independent public school’.
An ‘independent public school’ in WA has more governance and operational autonomy than conventional state schools – it is run by a school board instead of the Department, with more flexibility to run the school in ways that suit each community. There are no student fees, curriculum remains within the national framework, and while independent public schools can hire staff directly without having to use the central departmental pool, employment conditions cannot vary from those in the state system.
WA has set an important precedent for innovation in public schools across Australia.
We think all public schools should be run by an independent board, with more autonomy in choosing their preferred curriculum and pedagogy. And they should be able to employ teachers from various professional backgrounds, not restricted to those with teaching qualifications.
Independent Public Schools of Excellence
We aim to build on and extend the WA model.
Parents and teachers who want their public school to move in this direction can begin the process of innovation now. They can begin engaging their school community and talking with school administrators about the process. They can institute an Interim Board to do the planning and preparatory work.
Innovation means not waiting for permission to do things in a better way.
By ‘Excellence‘ we do not mean ‘Elite’. We mean zero tolerance for half-hearted work and low expectations, and zero tolerance for disrespect for teachers and learners.
An Independent Public School of Excellence will be characterised by:
- Teachers being able to teach in a culture of respect.
- Principals being able to lead without being drowned in paperwork.
- Parents being treated as respected co-educators in the development of their child.
Timing – Why Now?
- Public schools are in crisis. Student outcomes across all disciplines and criteria are in decline.
- The teaching profession is in crisis. The average period of time in which a teaching graduate stays in the classroom is now just 5 years – after that they get out and do something else.
- Parents have lost trust in public schools. They are looking for good alternatives but rarely find them.
- School principals are burnt out. Theirs is a high-stress, low-recognition role.
- Governments have thrown in the towel. No federal or state government has tried to reform public schools in recent memory.
- Researchers report record high numbers of young people with mental illnesses, behavioural challenges, bullying experiences and disruptive home circumstances for whom schools are expected to act as parents, social workers and counsellors. This is not their role.
- The moment is right for change.
The Project Model
- We invite parents, teachers, and school administrators to register their interest in making their school an Independent Public School of Excellence.
- The Project will then connect these people, facilitate an exploration of options, and develop a school-based action plan.
- At an appropriate time, an Interim Board will be constituted to plan for taking on the governance and management functions for the school.
At the same time, the Project will:
- Engage with state and territory governments and education departments about the public value of IPSE schools.
- Engage with education researchers, administrators and teacher training authorities about the public value of IPSE schools.
- Engage with philanthropists and investors about financial support for IPSE schools in transforming social and productivity outcomes.
How to Start
Complete the form below to Express your Interest in partnering with us. We will then have a conversation.
Contact:
Jonathan Marshall – Chief of Staff
jonathan.marshall@innovation200.org
0404 486 937
About the Project Convenor
Veronica Stephan-Miller is our Project Convenor. Veronica is a parent of three children who home-schooled for 9 years in 3 states. She is firm believer in partnerships between teachers and parents as co-educators of kids.
