Schools face funding cuts as ratings rise

The Ministry of Education has slashed funding to more than half of the schools on the Taieri by increasing their decile ratings in the latest decile review.

Of the 16 schools in the Taieri area, nine have had their deciles raised, which means they will receive less funding from the ministry.

Funding at five of the schools will remain the same, and only two schools will receive more, albeit minimal.

Based on present school rolls, funding at the nine schools with increased deciles is expected to fall by more than $70,000 a year.

Otago Primary Principals' Association chairwoman and Silverstream School principal Elizabeth Cleverley said many of the schools affected would be concerned about the financial repercussions of the changes.

''But one of the things we encourage our children to do is adapt to change, and that's what we need to do as well.

''Yes, there is a concern, but we need to accept that and look at how we move forward.

''None of us like losing money because we tend to use all that we get.

''We are going to have to do some creative thinking. Any school that is losing money is going to have to think cleverly as to how they are going to manage this.

''None of us want to reduce what we provide.''

Miss Cleverley said there had been much development on the Taieri, particularly in Mosgiel, which had affected the decile ratings of schools in the area.

''We've had a lot of new, reasonably expensive housing gone up out here on new developments - possibly drawing a more affluent community.''

The picture was similar in West Otago, where all three schools - Blue Mountain College, Heriot School and Tapanui School - had increasing deciles.

Of the 145 schools Otago-wide, 69 remained the same, 46 went up and 30 went down.

Ministry of Education pupil achievement deputy secretary Graham Stoop said there were several reasons a school's position in the decile ratings had changed.

It may be a change in the mixture of pupils attending a school; a change in circumstances of the community children come from; a change in the school community's position in relation to all other schools in New Zealand; or a combination of all three, he said.

The country's 2406 state and state-integrated schools were notified of their new ratings over the past two weeks.

Those schools which had an increase in decile (a reduction in funding) were told by the ministry there would be an 18-month transition period before the changes would take full effect.

Education Minister Hekia Parata said $8.6 million had been provided to help schools through the funding changes.

She said decile funding made up only 11% of the operational funding that schools received, but it varied at an individual school level.

Earlier this week, Ms Parata has hinted the funding system itself may be about to undergo a review.

She said it was well intentioned, but it was more than 20 years old.

''It's become a blunt instrument and decile ratings are also misinterpreted as an indication of the quality of education at a school, which is quite wrong.

''I agree with many in the sector who are recognising that we need to have a look at funding to make sure it is correctly targeting the students who need it most.

''That would need to be done alongside the profession and sector groups, in a well thought through and careful way,'' she said.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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