Smarter Schools National Partnerships
Thousands of young Queenslanders will benefit from an historic investment of more than $900 million to boost literacy and numeracy standards under a joint State and Federal Partnership.
The Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreement will deliver high-quality programs from 2009-2015 to improve teaching quality, literacy and numeracy development of young people, and provide specific support for students from disadvantaged areas.
State and non-state schools will direct resources and provide additional funding to match the Australian Government's investment of $458 million to implement the National Partnerships.
The Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership aims to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all students, especially those who are falling behind.
Putting these core skills in place is fundamental to helping students reach their full potential.
The Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership will focus on:
- effective and evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy
- strong school leadership and whole-of-school engagement with literacy and numeracy
- monitoring student and school literacy and numeracy performance to identify where support is needed.
Download the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership fact sheet (new window) 78k 
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Download the list of participating Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership schools (new window) 39k .
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Summer schools are an initiative of the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership.
The Summer Schools Initiative forms part of the Queensland Government's three-year Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan.
Summer schools will provide opportunities for students in Years 5, 6 and 7 to improve their literacy and numeracy achievement by participating in a unique learning initiative.
Download the Summer Schools Initiative fact sheet (new window) 77k .
Download the list of participating Summer Schools Initiative schools (new window) 24k .
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Teaching and learning systems and processes will be audited in all Queensland state schools in late 2009 and 2010 as part of the Queensland Government's commitment to improving student literacy and numeracy standards.
Sixteen highly successful school principals will work offline for 12 months to conduct an independent audit on curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment practices in every Queensland state school. They will work with individual school principals to identify strengths and key areas for improvement.
Following the audit, each school principal will be provided with a detailed report in relation to their school's progress against system expectations and accountabilities.
The audit report will enhance each school's ability to tailor and further develop educational strategies within their own school community, while ensuring they are improving educational outcomes for students.
For more information please download the Teaching and Learning Audits Fact Sheet (new window) 72k .
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The Low Socio-Economic Status School Communities National Partnership will support reforms that improve the wellbeing and learning outcomes of students from disadvantaged backgrounds through initiatives including:
- strategies to attract, develop and support highly qualified principals and teachers to schools in low socio-economic areas
- tailored and more flexible learning opportunities
- greater accountability of schools
- partnerships with parents, other schools, business and communities.
Download the Low Socio-Economic Status School Communities National Partnership fact sheet (new window) 90k .
Download the list of participating Low Socio-Economic Status School Communities National Partnership schools (new window) 209k .
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The creation of Turnaround Teams will see highly qualified teachers and principals consulting in state schools that need extra support.
Turnaround Teams will work intensively with existing school staff to identify strategies to implement student literacy, numeracy and social outcomes in low socio-economic status areas.
The Turnaround Teams initiative will be trialled in 2010 in ten state schools in the Wide Bay-Burnett region, including schools in Bundaberg, Gin Gin and Nanango, before being rolled out to other regions across Queensland from July 2010.
For more information please download the Turnaround Teams Fact Sheet (new window) 98k .
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A core element of the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership is to engage literacy and numeracy coaches who will give teachers intensive training and classroom support.
The coaches will work across 175 state schools in most need of extra support, and help teachers develop specialist skills through professional development.
Literacy and Numeracy Coaches will focus on whole-school improvement as well as individual teachers, and improvement in student literacy and numeracy will be measured using National Assessment Program " Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test data and local school measures.
Professional development for the newly appointed coaches is due to begin in October 2009, with forums and professional development to continue into 2010.
For more information please download the Literacy and Numeracy Coaches Fact Sheet (new window) 93k
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Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 
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