NEWS: Key launches literacy and numeracy crusade

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13 October 2008
NEWS: Key launches literacy and numeracy crusade

National Party Leader John Key says providing New Zealand children with decent literacy and numeracy skills is an important priority for him, and is made all the more urgent in uncertain economic times.

"These children will be building the economy and communities we will be living in tomorrow. We must do far better to equip them for the more challenging times ahead, and to ensure they have the basic skills to secure their own and their families' futures.

"Around one in five leave school without NCEA Level 1, and many don't achieve even basic reading, writing and maths skills. Raising literacy and numeracy standards will be a critical goal of the next National Government."

Mr Key has today launched a crusade to improve the numeracy and literacy skills of young New Zealanders.

"New Zealand's top students are among the best in the world, but the gap between the best and the worst is growing."

According to a recent international reading literacy study, the literacy level of our 10-year-olds slipped from 13th in the world in 2001 to 24th in 2006.

"National believes that the first task of our education system should be to ensure that every child from every background can read, write, and do maths at a level that allows them to participate in a modern economy.

"We will launch a Crusade for Literacy and Numeracy. And because parents want to know how their child is doing, we'll introduce national education standards to help identify those pupils who are falling behind, and provide targeted funding to help them catch up."

Mr Key says there are 10 first steps that National will take as part of its Crusade for Literacy and Numeracy. National will:

1. Set National Standards in literacy and numeracy.
2. Require every primary and intermediate school pupil to be assessed regularly against National Standards.
3. Require primary and intermediate schools to report to parents in plain English about how their child is doing compared to National Standards and compared to other children their age.
4. Provide targeted funding to assist primary and intermediate schools to give an extra hand to the pupils who aren't meeting National Standards.
5. Refocus the Ministry of Education and the Education Review Office on supporting schools in the Crusade for Literacy and Numeracy.
6. Provide additional support to underperforming schools to ensure their students are on track to achieve National Standards.
7. Get tough on truancy by prosecuting parents of persistent truants and giving schools extra resources to crack down on truants.
8. Give schools additional assistance for dealing with disruptive pupils.
9. Support teaching excellence by reviewing teacher training, encouraging schools to co-operate to expand successful teaching methods, celebrating the success of top-performing teachers, and supporting reductions in pupil to teacher ratios in new entrant classes.
10. Improve special education services by increasing ORRS funding for students with the highest special education needs, expanding special education schools, and encouraging satellite special education schools.

These initiatives will be funded from within the allocation for new spending in future budgets of $1.75 billion that was outlined by the Government in the PREFU, and which National has adopted in its fiscal policy.

Mr Key says National will allocate $47 million of additional funding to schools per year to aid in the literacy and numeracy crusade, including $18 million a year for targeted funding of pupils who aren't meeting National Standards.

"Schools will have the option of using this targeted funding as they see fit. They might work with other schools to hire a specialist literacy or numeracy teacher, pay for remedial classes at a specialist provider, expand their reading recovery programme, or provide professional development to teachers in dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties that might be interfering with a child's progress towards National Standards.

"Continuing to allow our children to fail is not an option.

"National will provide schools with resources, arm parents with knowledge, direct agencies to focus on results, and thus give our children the future they deserve."

To view details of Literacy and Numeracy Crusade visit:
http://national.org.nz/files/2008/Education_Policy_Crusade_for_Literacy.pdf

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#1 - Catherine Chandler 2008-10-13 13:02 - (Reply)

Having just read your Education Policy Crusade for Literacy and have questions regarding the following statement: "National will provide extra resources to help schools lift the literacy and numeracy skills of pupils who aren’t meeting National Standards. We will allocate $18 million a year of additional funding to enable primary and intermediate schools to give extra help to pupils who are struggling to meet National Standards. We will work with schools and teachers to develop the fairest and least bureaucratic way of distributing these funds. I am really pleased that more money will be directed towards helping dyslexic children at school and intermediate levels." Words like awesome, brilliant and finally come to mind. My daughter received little help while at school due to lack of funding and knowledge of dyslexia. She is now at college. Does this new funding cover college pupils also? If not how are you going to help her and those like her that have slipped though the primary school system with little support? I look forward to your reply. Regards Catherine Chandler

#2 - Simonne Goodall 2008-10-13 20:18 - (Reply)

The reason why the gap between the achievers and non achievers is so wide is not because of the education system, it is largely due to the health and social welfare factors that these children face on a daily basis. Address those issues and we might make some progress. As for increasing the funding for ORRS children, what about the ridiculous number of children in our schools who don't have a "label" but have extraordinary learning difficulties (largely due to socio-economic and family background factors)? Is there ever going to be a fair system of funding "special needs" children in our schools? Proportional funding based on school rolls is ridiculous - the decile 10 schools are using this funding to fund all sorts of programmes that decile 1-4 schools can't even dream of. Decile 10 schools clearly don't have the same number of special needs children as low decile schools.

#3 - Stella McLeod 2008-10-14 12:44 - (Reply)

I was pleased to read that National is going to increase funding for ORRS students, but as a parent who has chosen to put our two children with Down syndrome into mainstream schools because it benefits them socially and educationally, I would hope that this option would still be supported. It does get a lot tougher the higher up school they get and I am thankful that the high school they are currently in did build a "learning support centre" where they can spend time if mainstream subjects are unsuitable. But please, don't let your desire to support special schools etc undermine the efforts of parents like us who would like to see their children included in mainstream schools. Our children also contribute - perhaps one area that's most needed is as a reminder to everyone that people with intellectual disabilities are first and foremost people. I grew up in an era when the "intellectually handicapped" were shut away and their social lives and opportunities to learn were severly limited. Teachers who include our children will learn to become better teachers of everyone because they will be more conscious that one teaching method does not suit all. Children with Down syndrome usually learn visually and need more time to absorb what's being taught. They also learn better through doing rather than listening. All qualities that no doubt affect a lot of other children who are behind academically in a system that emphasises learning through listening and reading.

#3.1 - Maree Kirk 2008-11-04 12:59 - (Reply)

Segregation is not special I am extremely saddened to see National's intent for Special education is to expand funding to support Special Education Schools and Satellite Units. New Zealand and international research examples of best practice identify inclusive education as beneficial not only to students with learning disabilities but to the school community as a whole. Students with a disability are 10% of our child population, a significant minority group. To blatantly exclude this specific population of children by policy intent is consistent with ill informed educational discrimination that appears to be the mark of National Party Education spokes persons. Katherine Rich in the BOP Times stated that children with special needs yelp in the classroom. Where a small number of parents remain that elect segregation it can be due to a variety of influences including being unsupported in their local community. Special Education unit staff level of professional development, student expectation and resourcefulness in providing the curriculum to students in segregated environments are issues identified as resulting in the poor long term outcomes for these students. Students of similar ability in Inclusive settings are proven to maintain literacy and independence levels with higher competencies than their segregated peers. This lack of awareness of the National Party policy informants should not be the basis of a nations Special Education policy. Expansion of the ORRS funding package is the answer. Expansion of segregation by learning ability is a step back to the 80's - a history New Zealander's should be ashamed of and families have yet to recover from. The National Party needs to be informed of the outdated nature of this policy directive. I am appalled.

#4 - Lyn Croft 2008-10-15 09:11 - (Reply)

There are national standards in literacy and numeracy. Every primary/intermediate school student is assessed very regularly. Schools do report home to parents in 'plain English' - although a number of caregivers do not read English. Yes, schools need extra funding to support students who are failing - more reading recovery teachers, more teachers to work with individuals/small groups, smaller class sizes and a teacher aide in every classroom.Special Needs students and students with learning needs miss out on funding, particularly when moving to secondary schools. Giving ORRS funding to those students with only very high needs discriminates against those who, with assistance, can reach their full potential. We need more funding to enable these students to be part of mainstream classes where appropriate, with the necessary support, enabling them to socialise with their peers. It's called inclusive education.

#5 - S. Anderson 2008-10-16 11:26 - (Reply)

I've been a staunch Labour supporter for years, but I like what I have seen of National's policies this election. I like it a lot, in fact. Our education system is a disgrace, and well overdue for reforms of this type (or any type). I especially like National's acknowledgement of the fact that dyslexia is a) real and b) a serious problem. I spent my school years being labelled "stupid" and "lazy" when I was actually dyslexic. I'd like to suggest that teachers also need training to identify children with this sort of problem.

#6 - Suzie Vesper 2008-10-23 17:47 - (Reply)

I would like to support the comment made by Lyn Croft. There are MANY standards already in place for literacy and numeracy and schools are already testing against these regularly. To stick another layer of 'standards' and associated testing on top of what we are doing already (which gives us very effective data) is in my mind repeating the mistakes of the UK and the US which are beginning to realise that their testing approach had little impact. Ask yourself why 83% of primary school teachers are opposed to this move. It is not because we are afraid of hard work - teachers in this country put in hours of work often in weekends and evenings, it is because we don't see how your plans can add ANY value to what we are already doing and we believe that it will be destructive overall just as it has been overseas. This is something I would be prepared to strike with no pay over should a national government try to impose this on our education system! How about you consult with teachers and try to learn a bit more about what we ARE doing before bringing in a half baked idea like this one.

#7 - Dave Winter said:
2008-10-25 22:44 - (Reply)

A preoccupation and focus on nationalised testing is likely to lower standards, demoralise some schools and students. "You can't increase the length of a piece of string by measuring it". Authentic assessment has its place; but should be to improve literacy (which itself needs to be redefined) not measure it. National leadership seems to feel we will have the right citizens if they can read, write and add well. Ooops please come up with policies for a future that will exist not a fast fading past.

#8 - Fiona McDonald 2008-10-25 23:18 - (Reply)

I agree with Lyn and Suzie. I can't even begin to imagine what a nightmare it would be with unhealthy competition between schools to get the best test results! It would be like England with League Tables. To reward teachers with best practice sounds like a major can of worms! Would it reward those who teach to the test, or those who teach to inspire and empower? I can't imagine anything that would cause friction on a staff more! In reply to S. Anderson, I agree that more needs to be done to address dyslexia; John Key isn't the first to come up with this! But do you know what is already being done to help children in schools? It seems to me that too many people judge schools and teaching methods on the 'prehistoric' methods that existed when they were a child. When I think back to my schooling it was definitely a 'one size fits all' education. It certainly isn't like that these days in the classes at my school, or at any of the schools I know! I strongly believe that simply pumping more money into the teaching isn't the solution (although its always nice to be able to buy a bit more ICT and PE equipment!). We can teach until we are blue in the face AND until the cows come home, but if what we teach and model at school isn't reflected in the home then it is a potentially losing battle. In so far as managing the budgets for 'at risk' students, the major problem our school has had is that of immigrant families arriving with special needs children that automatically chew up our special needs budget. Bye bye extra reading groups, bye bye math booster classes and those 'at risk' students fall through the cracks. I understand that these families are looking for a better life for their families, but at the expense of our existing students? Then, after six months they often decide to move home... *John Key do not add more testing*. Have you heard of NUMPA, snapshots, Asttle, eAsttle, Probe, Running Records, Arbs, Six year nets, Portfolios, reports, parent/teacher conferences, diagnostic assessment, formative assessment, summative assessment... I seriously believe NZ will lose a lot of it's greatest teachers should even more testing be introduced, leaving the mediocre ones to reap the rewards! [Admin: No additional tests are involved with National's policy, nor will there be national tests. From the text of the policy announcement: "National will require primary and intermediate schools to use assessment programmes that compare the progress of their pupils with other pupils across the country. Schools will choose from a range of tests, and there won't be national exams." Check: national.org.nz/files/2008/Education_Policy_Crusade_for_Literacy.pdf ]

#9 - Suzie Vesper said:
2008-10-26 00:13 - (Reply)

I note the admin statement in Fiona's response. If you are not going to impose national testing on students other than what is already in place then I think you are being very misleading with the way you word this policy. When you say 'National will require every primary and intermediate student to be assessed regularly against standards' then this is an empty phrase since this is happening already. All schools are already regularly assessing against national standards and will continue to do so. How is your statement making this any different? It just sounds like rhetoric to me to make other people think that you would be responsible for some kind of major change when you actually would not be. I also want to hear more about these 'standards'. We have standards now that have been refined over a long period of time with consultation with schools - what would you do to change these? I also don't see how you can bring in new 'standards' and then say schools would need to assess against these new standards and then expect us to believe that there would be no changing to testing as we have it now. Also, when reading the PDF, I find the statement about telling parents how children compare to other children incredibly dangerous. I think parents should be informed about the progress of their children against national norms but NOT in comparison to other children. For children to be 'ranked' in a class leads to all kinds of nasty dynamics between both parents and children and is damaging to the self esteem of children. It is certainly NOT going to help them improve their learning. Teachers know that there is a time and place for a certain amount of competition in schools and we use it but with caution. Too much competition can completely demoralise some children and by ranking children against each other, that is the kind of environment the kids would be operating within.

#10 - John Nicoll 2008-10-28 17:16 - (Reply)

I applaud National's commitment to improving standards in Numeracy and Literacy, however I doubt the emphasis on "National Standards" will assist with this. As Lyn croft stated, there are already bebnchmarks in every curriculum and as Fiona said , we have a multitude of tests to see where children are. Having taught for 36 years, I have seen the amount that we have to teach increase (second language, expanded Health subjects, Maori, IT, etc etc) and yet the time that we have to cover all of this has remained the same. In my view, we already spend too much time testing and assessing which is often to the detriment of teaching - and that is what we are there for!

#11 - july mclean 2008-11-13 11:45 - (Reply)

i agree with John Nicol's comments, as a teacher their are already benchmarks, national testing occurs. What concerns me is how is this going to improve the literacy and numeracy achievement of Maori students. According to all achievement data Maori achieve well below the current benchmarks. The policy is too general, i want specifics. Much too long Maori students continue to be marginalized or forgotton. Come on National Te Kotahitanga is not going to solve all the 'Maori' issues. Lets have some dialogue and come up with some real solutions.

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