John Guenther
Are We Making Education Count in Remote Australian Communities or Just Counting Education?
Flinders University
quite time achievements students remote australian schools lamented necessarily anything new relative difference results aboriginal torres strait islander students remote communities counterparts urban regional rural schools across australia however last decade number changes education system led difference highlighted extent othering remote students families turned marginalisation described terms disadvantage deficit failure one primary instruments used reinforce discourse national assessment program literacy numeracy naplan testing instrument also used part justification policy response sees governments attempting close educational gap sometimes punitive measures sometimes incentives strategic level reflected focus attendance responding perceived disadvantage demanding higher standards performance students teachers schools generally accountability resulted lots counting education counts attendance enrolments dollars spent test scores measures lead one conclude remote education failing teachers need improve professional standards students need perform better process part system lost sight need make education count count count remote aboriginal torres strait islander communities questions cooperative research centre remote economic participation attempting find answers part remote education systems project article questions assumptions behind policy responses using publicly available naplan data remote schools argues assumptions works schools generally work remote schools high proportions aboriginal torres strait islander students therefore questions whether system counting right things example attendance enrolments measures disadvantage