Growing up in Tasmania, I've witnessed firsthand the disparity in our education system. Our students, the future of our community, are not receiving the resources they need to thrive. I've seen classrooms struggling with outdated equipment, limited supplies, and overworked teachers. Meanwhile, funding is being funneled into multi-school organisations and bureaucratic structures, rather than directly benefiting the classrooms where it is needed most.

According to the Tasmanian Department of Education, Children & Young People, strategic plans prioritise broader organisational goals over direct classroom funding, leaving individual schools and, consequently, students at a significant disadvantage. It's time we change our approach to ensure that every student in Tasmania has access to quality education.

Research from the Grattan Institute highlights that targeted investments in classroom resources result in improved student outcomes, including higher engagement and better academic performance. Yet, despite these findings, our current funding allocation does not sufficiently prioritise such critical needs.

We propose a reallocation of funding directly into classrooms, ensuring that all students have access to modern learning tools and environments conducive to academic success. Specifically, we aim to advocate for transparent budgeting processes, where schools can publicly demonstrate how funds are being utilised to enhance the classroom experience. Additionally, setting up an independent review committee of the Multi-School Organisation structure could provide oversight to ensure the funding is impacting the intended areas.

For the cost associated with additional executive structures, leadership arrangements, consultants, implementation processes, travel and organisational change, could some of that investment instead provide more direct support to the schools and classrooms that need it most?

Could we:

·      Fund additional Teacher Assistant hours;

·      Create Education Support Specialist roles in literacy and numeracy;

·      Create Education Support Specialist roles supporting Year 6 students transitioning to high school and ensuring they are as up to date with the curriculum as possible so they don't start high school behind;

·      Provide specialist Social & Emotional Learning staff to help struggling students and assist teachers in creating a classroom environment suited to the best learning outcomes;

·      Improve behaviour support, which is desperately needed in many schools;

·      Provide dedicated staff for student regulation;

·      Give teachers more practical classroom support, such as a general Teacher Assistant in every classroom in addition to TA's funded to work with specific children; and

·      Provide schools with the resources they need to make individual student progress visible and meaningful?

These are investments that staff, students and families can see and experience directly. They put resources where they are needed most: with the people working with children every day and the students.

This is not just about books or technology; it is about the future of every child in Tasmania. Education is the great equaliser, and every student deserves a fair chance to succeed irrespective of the school they attend or the suburb they live in.

We call upon the Tasmanian government and the Department of Education, Children & Young People to reconsider their funding strategy and focus on placing funds where they can have the most substantial impact—within the classrooms. Sign this petition to demand accountability and to help build a brighter future for our children and the generations to come.