The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Education Council, made up of State and Territory Education Ministers, met in Melbourne last week and made several noteworthy decisions.

The Council gave in-principle support to the scope and focus of a National Evidence Institute. The institute is an initiative born out of the National School Reform Agreements and a recommendation of the Through Growth to Achievement Review Report and is aimed at informing teacher practice, system improvement and policy development. Work on this project is expected to run through 2019.

The Education Council also agreed on the way 2018 NAPLAN data will be reported on the My School website.  As the 2018 data is the first to include information from NAPLAN Online there will be some changes to the way results are presented. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is working with states and territories to finalise the presentation of data.

Ministers also began work on updating the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Improvements to the the Declaration were considered that cover:

• The importance of early learning
• The changing nature of education, the economy and work
• Increasing the need for lifelong learning
• Renewed emphasis on vocational education and training
• Renewed focus on equity
• The importance of smooth and carefully planned transitions.

A wide-ranging consultation phase is expected to follow. 

Read the full Education Council Communique here.

Read the Federal Education Minister's Media Release on the Melbourne Declaration here.