About the Department

Initiatives and Programs

To achieve the Department’s goal of improving outcomes for all Victorian children, over the next five years we will concentrate on the three main areas outlined in our Corporate Plan: system development and reform; partnerships with parents and communities; and workforce reform.

The Department has developed comprehensive strategies, initiatives and programs to realise these reforms:

For more information, see:

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System improvement

Improving our early childhood and school education system will make the best possible use of our talented workforce and infrastructure. This strategy will focus on developing several key areas such as greater transparency and accountability, continuity of learning, support when entering and leaving both primary and secondary schooling, access to quality early childhood education and improvement in school education across the board.

The current system improvement initiatives and programs we have include:

Transparency and accountability initiative

The Victorian Government is committed to implementing more consistent accountability frameworks and greater transparency about performace and provision for all schools, regardless or sector. A core element of Victoria's enhanced approach to transparency and accountability is the introduction of Government School Performance Summaries for all Victorian government schools.

For more information, see:

Building and infrastructure

  • Building the Education Revolution
    The Building the Education Revolution program provides schools with new facilities and refurbishments to better meet the needs of 21st century learning. In addition to this, it will create numerous jobs within local communities.
  • Victorian Schools Plan
    The Victorian Schools Plan will rebuild, renovate or extend every Victorian school by 2017, and 500 schools by 2011.

Technology and information systems improvement

  • Ultranet
    Ultranet provides a complete online learning environment in which parents, students and teachers can create, access and share curriculum content, collaborate in learning activities and record progress against individual learning plans/goals. It will do this through an intuitive student-centred electronic learning environment that supports high quality learning and teaching.
  • VicSmart
    VicSmart is an $89.3 million initiative which provides a high-speed broadband network to all Victorian Government schools.
  • Victorian Student Number
    The Victorian Student Number is a student identification number that will be assigned to all students in government and non-government schools and students in vocational education and training institutions. The number, which is unique to each student, will be used as a key identifier on a student’s school records, and will remain with the student throughout their education until reaching the age of 25.

Early childhood and education systems improvement

  • DEECD-MAV Partnership Agreement (PDF - 1.4Mb)
    The agreement between the Department and the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), signed on Thursday 6 August 2009, commits to building positive, collaborative relationships between the Department, MAV and all Victorian local councils, to increase the learning and development opportunities for children, young people and families.
  • Integration
    Our department recognises the importance of early childhood as a foundation for optimal life outcomes, and the need for all staff and services to work together if the learning and development outcomes for all Victorians aged 0-18 are to be maximised. Working together in pursuit of better outcomes for children and young people is at the heart of the integration agenda, and the reason why integration is one of the Department’s four corporate priorities.
  • Leading Practice and Design
    The Leading Schools Fund plays a key role in improving school performance. In applying for funding under this initiative schools or groups of schools must make a commitment to whole school improvement and improved student learning outcomes.
  • Energising Science and Mathematics Education in Victoria
    A framework that will guide investment in high quality science and mathematics education in Victoria and enable the Government to build on, and make effective use of, its significant investment in these important learning domains.

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Partnerships with parents and communities

Working together with parents and local communities will assist all Victorian children and young people, regardless of their location or cultural background, have access to positive, stimulating environments that recognises the role parents and strong communities have in our children’s development and learning.

Major initiatives and programs include:

  • Strategies for Aboriginal Children and Young People
    The Victorian Government is committed to improving the outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people. The Dardee Boorai: the Victorian Charter of Safety and Wellbeing for Aboriginal Children and Young People provides the framework of this commitment, defining key actions and measures of progress required in improving the safety, health, development, learning and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people. The Wannik Education Strategy for Koorie Students reinforces the government's commitment and is the major strategy in place to improve educational outcomes for Koorie students.

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Workforce reform

Improving the quality of our talented workforce is the major factor driving quality in schools and early childhood services. Excellent service provision can only happen when the right people are attracted, recruited, and supported to do their jobs as effectively as possible.

Major initiatives and programs include:

  • Early Years Learning and Development Framework
    Victoria is currently developing an Early Years Learning and Development Framework to guide early childhood educators in developing quality early childhood programs. The Framework will describe the broad parameters, structure, principles and outcomes required to enhance children’s learning
  • Rewarding Teaching Excellence (PDF - 368Kb)
    This Blueprint Implementation Paper outlines the Department’s commitment to rewarding teaching excellence. In 2010, the Victorian Government will commence a two-year trial of two models that were developed for the Victorian context following consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including teachers and principals. One model will reward individual teachers and the other will reward whole schools for improving performance and raising student learning outcomes. 

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Other

Victorian Bushfire Resource - in response to the bushfire crisis, the Department has developed a series of resources to help provide practical support for parents, schools and early childhood communities.