Schools contribute to inequality

Social and economic inequalities in schools is reflected in NAPLAN results. Schools with children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Year Five are two and a half years behind more advantaged schools in English, two years behind in Maths. By Year Nine, this has grown to four years in reading and numeracy, four and a half years in writing.

It's ironic that social and economic disadvantage is simply increased with schooling. The gap between the highest and lowest performing schools is the third largest in the OECD countries. Only Chile and Turkey have greater inequalities.

The recent report from the Committee for Economic Development in Australia (CEDA) suggests the answer is in socially integrated schools and intervening early if students start to fall behind.

This shameful gap needs to be addressed.

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