NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU RAM Information for our school community A fairer way of funding NSW Public Schools

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The Local Schools, Local Decisions reform is about giving principals and their school communities a greater say over how they allocate and use their available resources to best meet the needs of their students. The Resource Allocation Model (RAM) is an important part of the Local Schools, Local Decisions reform. It: recognises that schools are not “one size fits all”; they have different needs and require different levels of support provides a simpler, fairer and more transparent distribution of government school funding changes the way resources are managed in our school system. Local Schools, Local Decisions Local Schools, Local Decisions and RAM

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The Resource Allocation Model (RAM): the way our school receives funding Targeted funding for individual students The equity loadings to support students in our school The new components within the base allocation Local Schools, Local Decisions What are we talking about today

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The way we fund schools is made of three components. Local Schools, Local Decisions NSW Public Schools are moving to a much fairer needs based funding model From 2016 changes include new allocations: new per capita new professional learning

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions In 2016 the third component of the RAM is being delivered to all NSW public schools, including Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs), Environmental Education Centres (EECs) and Distance Education Centres (DECs) There are three new components in the base include: a per capita allocation to schools an increased allocation to support the professional learning of all school staff Schools eligible for a location allocation will continue to receive this allocation in Local Schools, Local Decisions Base allocation for 2016 Our 2016 base school allocation is: $1,979,906 – includes teacher salaries

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions Socio-economic background Aboriginal background English language proficiency Low level adjustment for disability Schools receive these needs based loadings where applicable Local Schools, Local Decisions Equity loading (funding) for schools

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The focus is on supporting students based on socio-economic background by: using a more accurate and fairer way of measuring need based on actual school enrolment information funding schools with the highest needs at a higher rate per student The loading for socio-economic background is determined by the Family Occupation and Education Index (FOEI). The index is based on the occupation and education status of each student’s primary carers. Local Schools, Local Decisions Changing for the better: Socio-economic background loading

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The Index – FOEI FOEI uses information on parental level of school education, highest non- school qualification and occupation category drawn from administrative data collected on enrolment forms and recorded in the Enrolment Registration Number (ERN) system. Data is extracted from ERN in early Term 2 each year. FOEI scores range from 0 to approximately 300, with a mean of 100. High FOEI scores indicate higher levels of need, i.e. lower socio-economic background. The FOEI for our school is 33 Our 2016 funding for socio-economic background is: $9464 Local Schools, Local Decisions Changing for the better: Socio-economic background loading

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The focus is on supporting the learning needs of Aboriginal students The funding is allocated so that: all schools with Aboriginal students will receive funding the higher the percentage of Aboriginal students and the greater the number of Aboriginal students in a particular school, the higher the funding. Our 2016 funding for Aboriginal background is: $11,690 Local Schools, Local Decisions Changing for the better: Aboriginal background loading

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions The focus is on supporting the additional learning needs of students who are developing their English language proficiency. The funding is allocated based on student needs: using the English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) Learning Progression instrument report provided by schools providing funding for students at all four EAL/D phases of English learning Our 2016 funding for English language proficiency is: $0 Local Schools, Local Decisions Changing for the better: English language proficiency loading

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions This resource allocation provides for additional learning and support needs of students in regular classes. Resources allocated under this loading reflect the Learning and Support resource allocations to regular classes implemented through the Every Student, Every School strategy Student need is determined using the Student Learning Need Index (SLNI). Our 2016 funding for low level adjustment for disability is: $65,705 – includes teacher salary Local Schools, Local Decisions Changing for the better: Low level adjustment for disability loading

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions Many students face unique and profound challenges that require personalised and customised support. Students require dedicated responses to support them no matter where they are enrolled. This funding supports individual students and “follows the student” if they change schools. Our targeted funding will be based on the individual needs of our students. Local Schools, Local Decisions Targeted funding for individual students

NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONWWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU Local Schools, Local Decisions Our RAM equity funding is based on the needs of our school’s students In 2016 additional funding will be allocated to schools through the base Accurate enrolment data is critical to successfully allocating resources to school. We will be talking to all families about this early next year We need to strategically use these resources to support our students and help set them up for success Visit the Local Schools, Local Decisions pages of the DoE intranet site at RAM IntranetRAM Intranet Local Schools, Local Decisions Summary