Board of Studies Annual Report 1998–99 Board of Studies St Nicholas Place Board of Studies 15 Pelham Street Carlton Victoria 3053 Annual Report 1998–99 Telephone (03) 9651 4300 Facsimile (03) 9651 4324 Email [email protected] Website www.bos.vic.edu.au Information Services Melbourne callers (03) 9651 4328 (03) 9651 4544 Country callers freecall 1800 134 197 Board of Studies Board of Studies Annual Report Annual Report 1998–99 1998–99 The Hon. Mary Delahunty, MP Contents Minister for Education Acronyms 2 Treasury Place Page East Melbourne Victoria 3002 ACACA Australian Curriculum, Assessment 1 Chair’s report and Certification Authorities 1 Chief Executive Officer’s report Dear Minister APS Assessment Processing System 2 At a glance I have pleasure in submitting the annual report CAT Common Assessment Task 4 Role of the Board of Studies of the Board of Studies for the 1998–99 CSF Curriculum and Standards Framework 5 Governance financial year in accordance with section 21 of DoE Department of Education the Board of Studies Act 1993. 6 Charter EEO Equal Employment Opportunity Yours sincerely 8 Membership ESL English as a Second Language 11 Organisation chart ENTER Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank 12 Review of operations and outlook (formerly Tertiary Entrance Rank – TER) 13 Strategic plan FOI Freedom of Information 14 Curriculum Professor Kwong Lee Dow GAT General Achievement Test 18 Assessment Chair LAP Learning Assessment Project 23 Publishing LOTE Languages Other Than English 24 Information Technology MCEETYA Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, 25 Finance and Administrative Services Training and Youth Affairs 27 Executive Services SOSE Studies of Society and Environment 30 Wider policy frameworks TAFE Training and Further Education TPTC Trained Primary Teachers Certificate 31 Multicultural policy VASS VCE Administrative Software System 31 Managing Diversity VCAB Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Board 31 Freedom of Information VCE Victorian Certificate of Education 32 Summary of financial position VET Vocational Education and Training 33 Competitive neutrality VSAM Victorian Student Acheivement Monitor 33 Building Act 1993 VTAC Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre 33 Consultancies 33 Industrial disputes and time lost due to injury 33 Additional information 34 Financial Statements 48 Appendices 49 Appendix 1: Index of compliance 51 Appendix 2: Year 2000 compliance Board of Studies 51 Appendix 3: CSF Advisory Committee St Nicholas Place Acknowledgements 15 Pelham Street 52 Appendix 4: CSF Committee members Carlton Victoria 3053 The Board of Studies would like to thank the following schools and their students for 53 Appendix 5: VCE Accreditation Panel members Telephone (03) 9651 4300 appearing in photographs in this annual report: Bialik College; Carlton Primary 57 Appendix 6: Student participants in the VCE Season of Excellence Facsimile (03) 9651 4324 School; Glen Waverley Secondary College; The Knox School; Oakleigh High School; Overnewton Anglican Community College; Prahran Windsor Primary School; Preston 60 Appendix 7: Publications Email [email protected] Website www.bos.vic.edu.au Girls Secondary College; Richmond Primary School; Roberts McCubbin Primary Acronyms School; Star of the Sea College. Information Services Melbourne callers (03) 9651 4328 (03) 9651 4544 Country callers freecall 1800 134 197 Chair’s report Now in its sixth year of operation, the Board of Studies is fully established as the principal source of advice on school curriculum and assessment matters in Victoria. The Board is increasing its emphasis on supporting teachers in setting and monitoring standards for student achievements. The revised Curriculum and Standards Frameworks (CSF) will give teachers greater opportunity through curriculum and assessment to pursue high standards – especially for younger students – in literacy and numeracy. The Board is supplying more comprehensive information on statewide Professor Kwong Lee Dow standards through the Learning Assessment Project (LAP) reporting Chair, Board of Studies package provided to each school. This provides teachers and parents with substantive information on student outcomes. The introduction of the Victorian Student Achievement Monitor (VSAM) will enable comprehensive monitoring through innovative computer-based assessment which, when combined with the LAP data, will track standards in English and Mathematics in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. VCE Review In December 1998 the Board of Studies approved its policy and Professor Sam Ball procedures for implementation of the VCE Review. Implementation of Chief Executive Officer the outcomes of the Review will begin in 2000. Twenty-four revised VCE studies will commence in 2000. Throughout 1999 the Board of Studies is conducting a range of activities and discussions with all sectors to ensure that schools, VCE coordinators and teachers are well supported to implement the revised VCE in 2000 and 2001. VET in Schools expanded in 1999 to provide students with greater Chief access to a range of diverse subjects. Executive Curriculum Officer’s In 1998 the Minister for Education requested the Board of Studies review the CSF. report The revised CSF will further strengthen the present Framework by As the Chair’s report indicates, the Board has reaffirmed its ensuring comprehensive, standards-based curriculum planning, commitment to setting and monitoring standards for student assessment and reporting. achievement across the years P–12. The revised CSF will reduce ‘curriculum crowding’ through fewer, more In the 1998–99 year it has: focused outcomes, a clearer, simpler framework design and the use of • accredited twenty-four studies for the revised VCE with another information technology. eighteen set for next year The CSF outlines a comprehensive curriculum which concentrates on • determined revised assessment processes and procedures for the eight Key Learning Areas and gives emphasis to mastery of the basic skills VCE which will operate from 2000 and knowledge in the early years of schooling. It focuses on literacy, • secured wide school community support for the consultation draft numeracy and benchmarking against the highest international standards. revised CSF in all eight Key Learning Areas for years P–10 Membership • developed further the literacy and numeracy testing and reporting for schools for Years 3 and 5 Board membership has had little change over the past twelve months. John Pascoe replaced Peter Allen as both Director of Schools and a • advanced the focus on student outcomes and pursuit of high member of the Board. Rosalie Jones, Principal of Star of the Sea College, standards through the CSF Review and statewide assessment. resigned from the Accreditation Committee after many years’ involvement Such strategic developments allow accessibility of learning and in the Board’s work and an extensive contribution to education in Victoria. achievement for all students, while addressing the legitimate She was replaced by Filomena Salvatore, Principal of Avila College. expectations of the wider community. The coming year presents further challenges as the Board of Studies These achievements and future directions are outlined more continues to develop and implement educational practices that facilitate comprehensively in the relevant sections of the Report and in the high achievement by Victorian students. Board’s Corporate Plan. Professor Kwong Lee Dow Professor Sam Ball Chair, Board of Studies Chief Executive Officer 1 Board of Studies Conduct in an efficient Enhance the utility and Enhance the utility and Enhance the contribution and effective manner the status of the CSF status of the VCE of assessment and annual VCE and P–10 reporting to improve assessment programs teaching and student learning • The 1998 VCE was completed • The review of the CSF • Twenty-four VCE studies were • The LAP is now conducted each on time and without error. incorporated findings from the reaccredited. and will be taught in August to align with nationwide latest Victorian and international 2000; a further eighteen will be testing. All primary schools are • A VCE results service was research and data on educational accredited by December 1999 for supported in long-term monitoring introduced on the Internet, achievement. The revised CSF implementation in 2001. of student achievements in complementing the telephone builds on the standards set by English and Mathematics results service. • Special arrangements were put in the first Framework released in through the LAP data and its place for 4000 VCE examinations • Research study demonstrated the 1995. It emphasises literacy and comprehensive reporting and involving 800 students. VCE represents a highly reliable numeracy and reflects the monitoring results package. assessment process. growing impact of information • The VET (Vocational Education • The VSAM will provide schools technology in learning. and Training) in Schools program • 1523 teachers were trained to and the community with the was expanded with enrolments review 53,540 VCE School • Issues of a crowded curriculum opportunity to obtain standards- increasing from 9068 in May Assessments. were addressed. based results in English and 1997 and 11,668 in May 1998 Mathematics for Years 7 and 9 • Exemplary Common Assessment • Over 15,000 educators to 14,608 in May 1999. students. Findings from trials and Tasks in the Visual Arts were sent contributed to the revision of • Ten industry areas of the VET demonstration tests run by over to all schools