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Recognising excellence in education as a national priority, the Australian Government established the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools (the Review) in July 2017. Supported by an independent panel of experts drawn from different states, school systems and sector, the Review Panel examined ways that Australia could improve student outcomes, return to being one of the top education systems in the world, and ensure that school systems and schools truly prepare Australia's young people for an ever-changing world. The Review has focused on identifying reforms that build on existing improvement efforts. Its recommendations and findings reflect contributions from stakeholders and experts through consultations and nearly 300 submissions. These stakeholders included teachers, principals, professional associations, teacher unions, parents and carers, school systems, state and territory governments, researchers, universities, community organisations and business and industry. The key recommendations for reform are: (1) Deliver at least one year's growth in learning for every student every year; (2) Equip every student to be a creative, connected and engaged learner in a rapidly changing world; and (3) Cultivate an adaptive, innovative and continuously improving education system. Five chapters address: (1) Laying the foundations for learning; (2) Equipping every student to grow and succeed in a changing world; (3) Creating, supporting and valuing a profession of expert educators; (4) Empowering and supporting school leaders; and (5) Raising and achieving ambitions through innovation and continuous improvement. [The Review Panel included: David Gonski, Terrey Arcus, Ken Boston, Valerie Gould, Wendy Johnson, Lisa O'Brien, Lee-Anne Perry, and Michael Roberts.]

The Department of Education and Training ('the Department') engaged Deloitte Access Economics to undertake research into the drivers of school quality in Australia, with the goal of expanding the evidence base available to the Department in analysing, evaluating and developing school policy. In particular, this work provides a new empirical framework for assessing these drivers in the Australian context, and presents the results of this framework using the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data. The goal of this study is to develop a framework that links elements of practice and student outcomes, and which is capable of utilising existing data sources to empirically estimate this link, in order to provide evidence of: (1) The factors that drive student outcomes in Australia, and in particular the role that school quality plays in driving student outcomes; (2) The attributes of practice that define school quality, and how these attributes may be measured; and (3) The role that governments can play in influencing school practice and driving improvements in school quality. [This report was prepared by Deloitte Access Economics.]

In September 2016, following the release of 2015 student data by the Department of Education and Training (the department), media reports suggested that high attrition rates are symptomatic of poor admission standards; the lower a student's Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) the greater the risk of non-completion; and as a result of the demand driven system, higher student numbers are leading to greater numbers of student drop-outs. The Higher Education Standards Panel (the Panel) argued in its November 2016 report, "Improving the Transparency of Higher Education Admissions" (see ED583548), that this media coverage was alarmist. In response to the Panel's report, the Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Honorable Simon Birmingham asked the Panel to examine Australian higher education completion and attrition to ensure that students have the best chance of successfully completing their enrolled units, courses and qualifications. This final report of the Panel explains how the examination of retention, completion and success in higher education came about, discussing what the higher education sector is saying about factors that impact on these issues. In this report, the Panel notes there is no immediate crisis in higher education, although members are concerned about the imbalance of attrition rates between a small number of institutions and between external and internal or mixed modes of educational delivery. The Panel makes six recommendations on how Australia can further build on its efforts to support students to succeed in higher education: (1) Expectations of completion in the current context; (2) Supporting students to make the right choices; (3) Supporting students to complete their studies; (4) Sharing best practices; (5) Clarifying definitions and enhancing transparency; and (6) Accountability and regulation.

A strong level of funding is important for Australia's school system. The Government has further committed to a new, simpler and fairer funding model that distributes this funding on the basis of need. However, while funding is important, evidence shows that what you do with that funding matters more. Despite significant funding growth in the past decade, National Assessment Program--Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results and international rankings show that there have not been sufficient improvements in student outcomes. This report outlines the Government's evidence-based approach to schools' reform to improve learning outcomes for all Australian students--regardless of their school or background. The Government will be working with states, territories, and non-government education authorities to focus on how to use the record levels of funding to improve the quality of education in Australia's schools and lift student outcomes. "Quality Schools, Quality Outcomes" sets out evidence-based priority reforms to help support improved outcomes for students and schools by focusing efforts towards the following five areas: (1) Boosting literacy, numeracy and STEM performance; (2) Improving the quality of teaching and school leadership; (3) Preparing Australia's students for a globalised world; (4) Focusing on what matters most and those who need it most; and (5) Increasing public accountability through improved transparency.