At School 5-18

Victorian Government's Home Schooling Advisory Committee

What is Home Schooling Advisory Committee?

The Home Schooling Advisory Committee comprises individuals with home schooling skills and experience who were selected, on the basis of application, to provide ongoing advice to the Minister for Education about guidelines, processes and other matters relating to home schooling issues. Consequently, it will provide an important medium through which the home schooling community can participate more directly in the decision-making process with respect to the Victorian Government’s home schooling policy agenda.

The commitment to create a Home Schooling Advisory Committee was made during the development of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 as a means of ensuring that the Victorian Government continues to consult with key stakeholders and interest groups on issues that impact on the community. The Education and Training Reform Act 2006, proclaimed on the 1st July 2007, provides for the registration of home schooling students through the new Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.

What will the HSAC do?

During the development of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, the Committee advised the Minister for Education on guidelines - to be issued by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority - with respect to home schooling registration.

Now that the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 has been proclaimed, the Committee provides expert and timely advice to the Minister on:

How was the committee selected?

Advertisements seeking applications from interested individuals, with appropriate skills and experience in home schooling, were placed in rural, regional and city newspapers.

Applications addressing key selection criteria were received by the Department, with short-listed applicants undergoing an interview. Given the quality of candidates, the selection panel faced an extremely difficult task in recommending the Committee’s final membership.

Chair

The Minister for Education appointed Ms Helen Buckingham to chair the Home Schooling Advisory Committee. Ms Buckingham is an experienced politician, now retired, who was instrumental in reforms to the regulation of Victorian Bodies Corporate. She was also a member of the Victorian Parliament’s Education Committee, which is responsible for reporting on key education and training matters. Ms Buckingham is also a former teacher and careers counsellor and brings a wealth of experience to this position.

Membership

In addition to the Chair, the Advisory Committee consists of eight members: