Full response from Jane Caro

In relation to this FactCheck on inequality and Australia’s education system, Jane Caro referred The Conversation to a 2015 report published by the Australian Council of Educational Research.

The report analysed results from the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) among countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and noted

the general relationship between the overall level of schools’ educational resources and the resources gap between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged schools. Where resources are high, the gap tends to be low, and where resources are low, the gap tends to be high.

The OECD analysis also showed that, contrary to the general pattern, Australia has a high level of resources as well as a high level of inequity in the allocation of those resources. Australia’s overall level of schools’ educational resources is above the OECD average, yet it is ranked fifth among 36 participating countries in resource disparity between advantaged and disadvantaged schools.

Caro also sent The Conversation an article published by the Save Our Schools organisation titled OECD Report Highlights Education Inequity in Australia.

She also referred The Conversation to the PISA 2009 results report published by the OECD. She said:

Have a look at pages 89, 91 and 93.

• On page 89: Australia has one of the biggest variations in performance explained by schools’ socio-economic background between schools.

OECD On page 91: Australia has a very steep socio-economic gradient compared with a majority of the OECD. OECD On page 93: Australia has a significantly higher proportion of advantaged kids in advantaged schools - and disadvantaged kids in disadvantaged schools compared with a majority of OECD countries OECD