Hasbeen,

The success of a school is entirely dependant on the dedication and competence of the teachers, and largely on the principal to encourage this.

The singular difference with private schools is that the promotion and hiring of teachers and principals is on merit whereas public school hiring and promotion is based on seniority, bureaucrats, and the teachers' union. The result is that private schools even with similar levels of funding have on average well outperformed the public schools.

That the private schools on average receive less funding than public schools ensures that more state funding can be spend on the public schools.

The greens (who are more red than green) see this as an affront to their egalitarian ideals, and want to bring the private schools down to public school levels.

My wife and I have occupied honorary positions with both public and private schools, usually as President/Chair of the P&C or school council, but sometimes as Secretary/Treasurer. By invitation my wife and I continued our voluntary work with schools after our children moved on to tertiary education. Through and cooperative endeavors we also had opportunity to see what was happening in other schools.

We have no doubt that one of the greatest advantages of private schools is the parents. Others can speculate on the reasons why, but it is obvious that far more private school parents support the principal and teaching staff and are willing to be present at the school and work to help out. They have pride in the school and and a personal stake in its success, recognising that order and rules are there for the good of the students.

An overwhelming majority of private school parents see the teacher as the facilitator and guide in learning and as having a shared responsibility with the student and parents for any outcomes. Another obvious difference is that private schools see importance in 'people making', ie producing well rounded citizens who can contribute positively to the community and lead.

Last year my wife and I attended the AGM of a State secondary school which has established a record for innovation and results. A pollie with an education department official were there to bask in the credit. However a full half hour of the meeting was wasted by a disruptive rant by a parent and her partner supporting the 'choice and rights' of their daughter who had been pulled up during the term for short skirts and other behavioural problems. They demanded an inquiry and an apology. As we left I remarked to my wife that it wouldn't have happened at a private school and if it did, the other parents present would have pulled it up fast.

There is a difference in tone between private and State schools. Give more power and autonomy to State school principals and get the politics out of education.

Shadow Minister,

Your statement that “public school hiring and promotion is based on seniority, bureaucrats, and the teachers' union” is untrue.

Victorian principals have been appointed by locally elected school councils since at least 1987 (A Labor initiative). Prior to that they were centrally appointed but had to receive a recommendation form a local panel first. All senior staff have been locally appointed since 1992. Prior to that they were centrally appointed but had to receive a recommendation form a local panel first. All staff have been locally appointed since the mid 1990s (a Coalition initiative). The teacher unions have never had any say in it.

Chris C,

I can only comment on NSW, and here the central system gives a principal only a very limited choice in choosing teachers, and promotion is based on seniority and not on merit. Again principals are not open for selection from a wide pool, only a small selection presented by the central bureaucracy that works hand in glove with the teachers union.

Shadow Minister,

I understand that NSW is now moving down the same path as Victoria took in regards to staffing and budgets. In fact, Victoria commenced the process of devolution much earlier than local appointment, granting schools curriculum autonomy after 1968 and establishing elected school councils in 1975. There is no evidence that Victoria’s local staffing has led to better teaching, but that is another issue.

Chris,

I highly doubt that even in Victoria, selection of teachers and principals is completely open. I doubt that the councils can advertise and take teachers from other schools or from the private sector. I suspect that the selection is from a handful that have done the requisite service at various institutions in the public sector only.

The independent model works, the further the public sector can go to emulate it the better the public sector will be.