Senator Allison asked the Minister representing the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, upon notice, on 12 November 1998:

(1) Is it a fact that the states had to present the Commonwealth with specific plans for establishing literacy programs which then had to be agreed to by the Government before being allocated extra funding for this purpose.

(2) Can a copy be provided of the literacy plans put forward by each state.

(2.2) Can a list be provided of the criteria schools applying for funding under the Keys to Life program must meet.

(3) Can a breakdown be provided of the funding allocated for literacy programs on a state and school by school basis.

(4) Outline how literacy funding is awarded to schools with literacy programs which do not specifically meet the criteria set down by the Commonwealth.

(6) Can a breakdown be provided of literacy funding which has been allocated to schools with literacy programs which do not specifically meet the Commonwealth's criteria on a state by state and school by school basis.

Senator Ellison (Special Minister of State) —The Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Commonwealth this year introduced a change to administrative arrangements for Commonwealth funding for literacy in schools. As a condition of funding, states and territories and non-government education authorities were asked to provide a strategic plan on how schools will ensure that students meet the national literacy standard by the end of Year 3.

(2) A copy of each literacy plan was provided to the Senate Legislation Committee during August 1998 in response to Senator Carr's question of 9 June 1998. A set of plans has also been forwarded to Senator Allison.

(2.2) The Commonwealth is not able to provide information on the Victorian Government's Keys to Life program (now known as the Early Years literacy program). This information can be provided by Education Victoria.

(3) The Commonwealth is not able to provide information on literacy program funding on a school by school basis. The Commonwealth can only provide a breakdown of funding allocated for literacy programs by state and sector (allocations for 1998 attached).

(4) The Commonwealth sets out broad guidelines for administration of Literacy Program funds. State and Territory government and non-government education authorities are responsible for complying with the guidelines and meeting the accountability requirements. These are set out in the Commonwealth Programs for Schools Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines 1997 to 2000 which are publicly available.

(6) No. See answers to Questions 2.2 and 3 above.

Attachment

TOTAL LITERACY PROGRAM STATE AND SECTOR FUNDING SHARES

$s final 1998