| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 10 September 1875 [1] |
| Preceding agencies | |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland Government |
| Headquarters | 30 Mary Street, Brisbane, Australia [3] |
| Ministers responsible |
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| Department executives |
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| Child department | |
| Website | |
The Department of Education is a ministerial department of the Queensland Government responsible for the administration and quality of education in Queensland, Australia. [6] The department is composed of two separate portfolios, Education Queensland and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). [6] The department also encompasses the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, a separate statutory authority responsible for creating syllabuses, curriculums, and assessment. [5]
In 1875, the Department of Public Instruction was created, providing free, secular and compulsory education to all Queensland children. [2]
In 1957, the Department of Public Instruction was renamed to the Department of Education. [2]
Throughout 1990–1991, the Department of Education went through major restructuring following the release of the report, Focus on Schools. [2]
In February 2004, the Department of Education and the Arts was created. [2]
In 2006–07, the Department of Education, Training and the Arts (DETA) was created. [2]
In 2008–09, machinery of government changes replaced DETA with the Department of Education and Training, which was then restructured into the Department of Education [2]
In October 2015, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Education Kate Jones released the Advancing education action plan. The plan, which became the foundations of the Advancing education campaign, is described by the department as "a greater focus on active partnerships with the community and strengthening teacher excellence" and has overwhelming support from Queensland citizens. [7] Broadly, the plan focuses on: [7]
The Department of Education is formed from two separate portfolios, Education Queensland and Early Childhood Education and Care, each with separate responsibilities. Broadly, the department is responsible for the administration and quality of state education, and the quality of private education, throughout Queensland. [6]
The head of the department is the minister for education, who has the authority to direct any school to act in the public interest, direct a school to administer assessment, and issue scholarships and allowances. [8] Currently, the director-general is Tony Cook, and the minister for education is Grace Grace. [9] [10] The department is governed by its management board, composed of the director-general, the assistant director-general, all deputy director-generals, and the executive director. [4]
Education Queensland, sometimes just called 'Education', is responsible for primary and secondary schooling in Queensland, and the creation and administration of syllabuses and curriculums through the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. [5]
Early Childhood Education and Care is responsible for regulating and administering the National Quality Framework (NQF) in Queensland, as well as the Education and Care Services Act 2013 (ECS Act). [11] The NQF stipulates the federal funding and quality of most education and care service providers, and is formed from national law and regulation, and the National Quality Standard. [12] The ECS Act regulates providers and services not covered by the NQF, with the state government funding these services. [13]
Early Childhood Education and Care, as part of their administration of the NQF and ECS Act, provide funding to education and care providers. [11] This funding comes from one of three streams: Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (establishment and ongoing quality of education and care), Kindergarten Inclusion Support Scheme (accessibility resources), or Early Years Services Funding (general services). [14] [15] [16]
Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, the cost of state schooling and kindergarten is met by the state for all Australian citizens and permanent residents, and their children. This includes distance education, if living in a remote community. Specialised education is not fully funded by the state government, but the cost may be waived by the chief executive. For those not eligible for state-covered education, the chief executive may issue a charge for education services. The principal of any state school may ask the parent of a student, or the student for adult learners, to make a voluntary contribution towards the administration and maintenance of the school, however there is no requirement for parents to pay, and donations make no difference in the provision of education for a student. [8]
Education in Australia encompasses the sectors of early childhood education (preschool) and primary education, followed by secondary education, and finally tertiary education, which includes higher education and vocational education. Regulation and funding of education is primarily the responsibility of the States and territories; however, the Australian Government also plays a funding role.
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th century in Germany, Bavaria and Alsace to serve children whose parents both worked outside home. The term was coined by German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel, whose approach globally influenced early-years education. Today, the term is used in many countries to describe a variety of educational institutions and learning spaces for children ranging from two to six years of age, based on a variety of teaching methods.
K–12, from kindergarten to 12th grade, is an English language expression that indicates the range of years of publicly supported primary and secondary education found in the United States and Canada, which is similar to publicly supported school grades before tertiary education in several other countries, such as Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, China, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, the Philippines, South Korea, and Turkey. K–12 refers to the American system which affords authority to local intersectional "districts" which may be specific to a municipality, county, or several regions, depending on population and proximity.
Education in Canada is for the most part provided publicly, and is funded and overseen by provincial, territorial and local governments. Education is within provincial jurisdiction and the curriculum is overseen by the province. Education in Canada is generally divided into primary education, followed by secondary education and post-secondary. Within the provinces under the ministry of education, there are district school boards administering the educational programs.
Child care, otherwise known as day care, is the care and supervision of a child or multiple children at a time, whose ages range from two weeks of age to 18 years. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(ren), child care typically refers to the care provided by caregivers that are not the child's parents. Child care is a broad topic that covers a wide spectrum of professionals, institutions, contexts, activities, and social and cultural conventions. Early child care is an important and often overlooked component of child development.
A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary school. It may be publicly or privately operated, and may be subsidized from public funds.
The Early Childhood Education Act is the name of various landmark laws passed by the United States Congress outlining federal programs and funding for childhood education from pre-school through kindergarten. The first such act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Congresswoman Patsy Mink of Hawaiʻi in the 1960s. The theory behind the act is that the years before a child reaches kindergarten are the most critical to influence learning. Many children do not have access to early education before entering kindergarten. The goal of the act is to provide a comprehensive set of services for children from birth until they enter kindergarten.
Pre-kindergarten is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece. It may be delivered through a preschool or within a reception year in elementary school. Pre-kindergartens play an important role in early childhood education. They have existed in the US since 1922, normally run by private organizations. The U.S. Head Start program, the country's first federally funded pre-kindergarten program, was founded in 1967. This attempts to prepare children to succeed in school.
Universal preschool is an international movement supporting the use of public funding to provide preschool education to all families. This movement is focused on promoting a global, rather than local, preschool program. The goal is to provide equity across all socioeconomic backgrounds, enabling children to improve their academic and social skills before they attend kindergarten. Universal preschool, funded by the public, would allow more families to send their children to preschool.
Education in Western Australia consists of public and private schools in the state of Western Australia, including public and private universities and TAFE colleges. Public school education is supervised by the Department of Education, which forms part of the Government of Western Australia. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is an independent statutory authority responsible for developing a curriculum and associated standards in all schools, and for ensuring standards of student achievement, and for the assessment and certification according to those standards.
Bright from the Start, also known as Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, was established on July 1, 2004. The main office is located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The department licenses and monitors daycare centers and all state funded pre-k. Bright from the Start is headed by one commissioner and by a board of administrators. Bright from the Start provides children with quality preschool knowledge that will be necessary for their future school achievements. They want to offer a system of professional development for the providers and for the staff.
The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education, apprenticeships, and wider skills in England.
The National Quality Standard is the benchmark for the quality of Early Childhood Education & Care in Australia.
The National Quality Framework (NQF) is part of the Australian Government's agenda for early childhood education and child care focused on providing Australian families with high-quality, accessible and affordable integrated early childhood education and child care. The NQF aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement and consistency in education and care services through:
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. Its introduction followed the 15 month long 'Make It Real' campaign which involved community forums, visits to MPs, the holding of a National Disability and Carer Congress, 'Disabilitea' gatherings, and rallies involving 20,000 people. The scheme is administered by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and overseen by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Bill Shorten provides ministerial oversight as Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
National Quality Forum (NQF) is a United States-based non-profit membership organization that promotes patient protections and healthcare quality through measurement and public reporting. It was established in 1999 based on recommendations by the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry. NQF’s membership comprises over 400 organizations, representing consumers, health plans, medical professionals, employers, government and other public health agencies, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and other quality improvement organizations. NQF has helped develop guidelines on palliative care.
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is an independent statutory authority that assists governments in implementing the National Quality Framework (NQF) for early childhood education and care throughout Australia. Established in 2012, the authority works with the federal, state and territory government departments to:
Child care indicators are sets of standards that act as indicators of quality child care. These standards are developed by governments, child care experts, pediatricians, and parent advocacy groups. This information is useful for parents who are seeking quality child care and for directors and staff working in child care settings for ensuring quality settings and programs.
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is a statutory authority of the Queensland Government responsible for the development and appropriate delivery of kindergarten, primary, and secondary education in Queensland, Australia. The authority itself does not operate any educational institutions, but creates, amends and certifies syllabuses, issues Queensland Certificates of Education, and regulates assessment.
Early childhood education in the United States relates to the teaching of children from birth up to the age of eight. The education services are delivered via preschools and kindergartens.
