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Consideration

The committee has considered Auditor-General Report No. 12: 2017-18—Investing for Success and has determined to take no further action in relation to the report. Further details are included in the committee's Annual Report 2019-20.

Overview

Role of the Auditor-General

The role of the Auditor-General is to provide Parliament with independent assurance of public sector accountability and performance. This is achieved through reporting to Parliament on the results of its financial and performance audits.

About the Auditor-General Report

View: Auditor-General Report 12: 2017-18−Investing for Success

The objective of the audit was to assess the economy and effectiveness of the ‘Investing for Success’ initiative in supporting students, particularly those most in need, to achieve improved education outcomes.

The report recommended the Department of Education:

1. Considers integrating future Investing for Success funding into broader school funding, improvement strategies and processes.

2. Reviews the Investing for Success allocation model to ensure ongoing transparency, equity and continuous improvement of the needs-based approach.

    This should include:

• regular reviews of schools’ funding needs and categories of disadvantage
• clear communication of future changes to funding categories and amounts.

3. Clarifies Investing for Success governance structures

    This should include:

• accountabilities and responsibilities of assistant regional directors and principals
• the appropriateness of community accountability models (parents and citizens’ associations and school councils)
• oversight mechanisms for temporary school staffing employment decisions

4. Strengthens monitoring, reporting, and evaluation processes to better link investment decisions to school improvement outcomes.

5. Provides more targeted guidance to schools in need of additional support to further lift the quality of school improvement plans, targets, and measures.

6. Provides greater support and training to principals and assistant regional directors in the areas identified by surveyed principals during the audit, including strategic financial management, program evaluation, monitoring and reporting, and stakeholder engagement/community consultation

Referral to Committee 

Standing Order 194B provides that the Committee of the Legislative Assembly shall as soon as practicable after a report of the Auditor-General is tabled in the Assembly refer that report to the relevant portfolio committee(s) for consideration. 

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