2006-07 Victorian State Budget: $11.7 Million to Fund Literacy Improvement Teams
Fact Sheet
This budget builds on the Bracks Government’s investment in literacy and numeracy skills with $11.7 million allocated for an exciting new literacy initiative.
Developing the literacy skills of Victorian students to provide them with the best start in life is a priority of the Bracks Government.
This Budget provides $11.7 million for the establishment of Literacy Improvement Teams. This unique program will employ 45 literacy specialists to work closely with classroom teachers in government schools.
The Bracks Government has already made a significant investment in literacy initiatives. While an estimated nine out of every ten students are at or above national literacy benchmarks, for various reasons some groups of students are not performing as well as others.
Literacy Improvement Teams will provide expert advice and assistance on classroom programs to improve literacy in those schools where the reading and writing skills of students in Years 3 to 8 are falling behind.
The program will include one-on-one mentoring for teachers in the classroom on more effective ways to teach literacy to students.
Literacy Improvement Teams will also:
- Develop tools, including intervention support materials, to target literacy in all Victorian classrooms
- Target specific professional learning programs attended by literacy teaching team leaders in government schools and Koorie educators working with teachers and Koori students.
A panel of prominent literacy specialists will also be engaged under this initiative, to provide expert advice on programs to further assist literacy outcomes at all schools.