Background Papers
The Blueprint builds on and extends recent policies and reforms, most notably:
The Blueprint for Government Schools (2003-2008), which set a major capacity-building agenda in government schools to enhance the quality of school leadership, teaching and learning and the school curriculum, through initiatives such as:
- the Victorian Essential Learning Standards
- the Effective Schools Model
- the Performance and Development Culture
- the School Accountability and Improvement Framework.
Victoria's plan to improve outcomes in early childhood (2007), which articulated a comprehensive framework for early childhood reform and drew on extensive contemporary research showing:
- the period from birth through to eight, and especially the first three years, sets the foundation for further social, physical, emotional and cognitive development
- effort and investment in the early years yields the best outcomes for children and families
- development is supported by healthy, safe and stimulating environments.
2008 State Budget - a significant resource commitment was made in the 2008 State Budget to supplement the Government's major investment in school infrastructure through the Victorian Schools Plan.
Media Release - on Monday 7 July 2008, the Government invited the Victorian public to have their say in shaping the future of school education and early childhood services.
The National Quality Framework for Early Education and Care: a discussion paper (www.dest.gov.au) - in December 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a partnership between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to pursue substantial reform in the areas of education, skills and early childhood development, to deliver significant improvements in human capital outcomes for all Australians. This discussion paper provides the basis for the initial round of consultations on the development of a new national quality framework for early childhood education and care to progress these reforms.