School Education Minister Peter Garrett today met with principals involved in the NSW Government’s school autonomy pilot, ‘Increased School-based Decision Making’, to discuss the benefits of the Gillard Government’s Empowering Local Schools plan.

Mr Garrett and the NSW Minister for Education and Communities, Adrian Piccoli, visited Loftus Public School in Sydney to discuss the successful pilot recently completed in 47 schools across the state. The pilots were made possible through the Gillard Government’s $550 million Teacher Quality National Partnership.

Principals in the schools that took part in the pilot were given a greater say on staffing mix, budgets and other areas.

“Today we heard from these principals about the positive benefits for their students, including improved results, behaviour and attendance,” Mr Garrett said.

“The success of the NSW pilot is further proof that our decision to extend greater local decision making to 1000 schools across the country from next year will reap dividends for students, teachers and parents.”

Under the $480.5 million Empowering Local Schools initiative, school leaders will be given a greater say on issues such as governance, staffing mix, budgets, and infrastructure and maintenance.

“This could see schools choose to establish a board with representatives from parents and the community, or could see principals having more choice in regards to staffing mix and recruitment," Mr Garrett said.

“School leaders and parents are best placed to make the decisions that suit the needs and circumstances of their students.

“We are currently finalising a new National Partnership and implementation plans with the states and territories, including NSW, and expect the schools taking part to be selected in the first few months of 2012. Around one-third of the first 1000 schools will be in regional areas.

“School-based decision making will begin from May and schools will receive a grant of between $40,000-50,000 as a start-up fund, with a total of $69.1 million allocated for the first two years.

“Principals will also be offered specialised training courses to help them lead and manage their schools more independently.”

Mr Garrett said the NSW Government was supporting greater school autonomy through its Government’s ‘Local Schools, Local Decisions’ initiative.

“I was very pleased Minister Piccoli invited me to attend today’s meeting and I look forward to seeing more NSW schools experience the benefits of increased autonomy from next year,” he said.