Education Review Office

Introduction

Ko te tamaiti te pütake o te kaupapa!
The child - the heart of the matter!

The Education Review Office (ERO) reviews the performance of schools, early childhood services and other education providers in the pre-tertiary sector to help bring about improved educational achievement.

ERO also provides evaluative information to the Government, education professionals, parents and communities to assist them in making decisions that relate to the education of young people in New Zealand.

High quality evaluation contributing to high quality education

Education is an essential part of the fabric of a civil society. It should enhance and improve the nation's skills so that all citizens have the best possible future in a rapidly changing world. Education lies at the heart of the Government’s vision for economic and social development which has New Zealand with a strong national identity where diversity is valued, all families have the support and choices to be able to reach their full potential and is a great place to live, learn, work and do business for all its citizens.

ERO seeks to improve the quality of education through review and evaluation, and reports publicly on the quality of education received by children and students enrolled in early childhood services and schools.

The individual school and service reports inform decisions by boards of trustees and service managers as well as providing a resource for education policy and decision makers at national level, for teacher training and for the academic research communities.

Education evaluation reports

Based on its findings in schools and services, ERO also evaluates and reports nationally on current education policy and practice. These high level education evaluation reports supply a wide and varied audience with information on topical education issues, stimulate debate on what counts as quality in education policy and practice in New Zealand , and help in the design, implementation and review of policy.

The report on the extent to which the education provided in schools meets the needs of disabled students, titled “The New Zealand Disability Strategy in Schools” was completed in June 2003. ERO followed this report with a series of evaluations that reviewed how effectively schools are meeting the needs of students with a wide range of special education needs.

These reports included:

• Evaluation of the Resource Teacher: Literacy Service;
• Resource Teacher Literacy Service: Examples of Good Practice;
• Evaluation of the Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour Service;
• Resource Teacher Learning and Behaviour: Examples of Good Practice;
• Evaluation of the use of the Ongoing Reviewable Resourcing Scheme;
• Evaluation of the use of the Special Education Grant; and
• Special Education Grant: Examples of Good Practice.

ERO Statement of Intent

ERO’s Statement of Intent refers to the fact that ‘education is fundamental to young people’s ability to develop, gain skills, contribute to the community, and enjoy a full and satisfying life’. All young New Zealanders - including those young New Zealanders with disabilities - have the right to receive an education. It is implicit in the right to receive an education that the education provided is of good quality.

Evaluation information gathered by ERO has the potential to contribute to wider public sector outcomes.

ERO is identifying its contribution in terms of policy, research and evaluation. This work examines the nature of previous and current information contributed and scopes potential strategies to enhance this contribution. As part of the previous initiatives ERO has reviewed the Board Assurance Statement and guidelines to ensure that they cover the needs of disabled students.

Level 1 activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information		Achieved/ available	Planned this year	N/A
Agency’s websites
	Meet e-government Web-Guidelines 2.1	Yes
	Tested for accessibility for disabled people
	Adapted to increase accessibility to disabled people
	Downloadable files available in HTML, not only PDF
Other publications and public information available in alternative formats. (eg key information available in easy-to-read English, Braille, NZSL video clips, captions on TV adverts, etc) (In your end of year report you will be asked to list the formats you have available)
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact (ie phone and fax numbers, email addresses, etc)		Yes
?= further information and or testing required before a definite response is available.

Accessible government buildings and sites		Achieved/ available	Planned this year	N/A
All agency’s buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)		Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification		Yes
Agency’s buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust		X
Agency’s buildings and sites accessible.
	Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness			Yes
	Reception areas accessible	Yes
	Counters lowered for wheelchair users			Yes
	Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service1		Yes
	Other accommodations (please list) (eg signage, accessible lifts, hearing loops, etc)	Yes

Accessible government services	Achieved/ available	Planned this year	N/A
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues (eg policies on the use of New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters)			Yes
Information / data on services provided to disabled people is recorded			Yes
Service staff receive disability responsiveness training			Yes
When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users

Responsive government employment practices		Achieved/ available	Planned this year	N/A
Human Resource policies and procedures include EEO issues for disabled people			Yes
Recruitment and selection of vacancies responsive to disabled people (eg vacancies advertised to the widest possible audience, vacancies list alternative forms of contact – phone, fax, email, etc)		Yes
Human Resource staff familiar with EEO issues for disabled people (eg staff receive disability responsiveness training, staff familiar with the Disability Perspective Tool Kit2, etc)		Yes
Disabled staff are supported
	Individual assessments of workplace accommodations or support are provided (eg work station assessments)	Yes
	Accommodations provided to disabled staff (eg work station adaptations, special equipment, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, etc are provided)	Yes
	Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement	Yes
	Agency supports a disabled staff network group			Yes
	Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people			Yes
	Other support provided to disabled staff (please list)			Yes

Information and data on disabled people is collected		Achieved/ available	Planned this year	N/A
Information on agency’s responsiveness to disabled staff people
	Number of disabled people employed (we recommend you use the State Service Commission’s EEO disability information)	19
	Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency	Yes
	Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme’3.	0
	Number of disabled people previously employed under the “mainstream” programme but now employed by ERO.	1
Information on agency’s responsiveness to the disabled public
	Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded (eg consultation with disabled groups)	N
	Information / data on agency’s disabled client group recorded	N

Level 2 activities: Disability perspective included in ordinary work

Disability responsiveness training and resources	Planned this year	N/A
Disability responsiveness training offered to all staff	No
Promotion of the Disability Perspective Tool Kit4 within your agency (eg this website resource distributed to policy and strategic personnel, receiving training or advice on the use of this resource, etc)		Yes

Disability perspective included in ordinary work		Planned this year	N/A
Key documents to incorporate a disability perspective
	Cabinet papers		Yes
	Policy and procedure papers		Yes
	Strategic documents (eg Statement of Intent, Managing for Outcomes and key strategies)		Yes
	Legislation		Yes
	Consultation with disabled people/groups	Yes
	Other (please indicate)

Implementing the NZ Disability Strategy beyond your agency	Planned this year	N/A
Agencies, Crown Entities, boards, reference groups, etc, that your agency is responsible for are encouraged to consider disabled people and disability issues (eg staff / membership supports the inclusion of disabled people, compliance with level 1 activities is encouraged, your agency’s purchase agreements require compliance with the Disability Strategy, and where appropriate requires the provision of any data/information on disability issues/disabled clients)		Yes

Level 3 activities: Disability focused work your agency is leading

1. Good Practice Report – Ongoing Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS)

Initiative

Good Practice Report-Ongoing Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS)

Description

This involves the production of a good practice report on the use of ORRS funding in schools. It follows on from the previously produced report on the use of this funding.

Desired Outcome

It will provide for schools a guide to good practice, which should enable them to more effectively use the ORRS funding to improve the outcomes for the children to whom it is targeted.

Outcome measures and timeframes

The report will be issued to all schools by 30 June 2007.

Links to Strategy objective and action

Provide the best education for disabled people – objective 3.

2. Improved use of ERO information

Initiative

Improved use of ERO information

Description

ERO will consult with the Office for Disability issues on ways that the evaluation work carried out can contribute to the outcomes sought for the disabled. Quality of Teaching reports will be a focus of this discussion

Desired Outcome

That where applicable use is made of ERO evaluation processes/projects to support the work of the Office for Disability Issues.

Outcome measures and timeframes

A meeting is held with ODI by 31 August 2006 where ERP programme for 2006-07 is discussed and common interests are identified.

Links to Strategy objective and action

Provide the best education for disabled people – objective 3.

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1. For information on NZ Relay service
2. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website
3. Information on the State Service Commission’s Mainstream Programme
4. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website