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Below is an extract from the Terms of Reference. The full Terms of Reference, including annexes, are available to download on the Ministry of Education website. 

View full Terms of Reference.

Read the Cabinet paper seeking agreement to the Terms of Reference.

Outcome | Putanga

The review of Tomorrow’s Schools focused on the changes we need to make to governance, management and administration in education to ensure the fitness of the school system to meet the challenges we face, and to achieve equity and excellence.

The Taskforce submitted its final report to the Minister on 2 July 2019. It is expected to be publicly released after it has been considered by Cabinet.

Scope | Awhe

The review will cover the provision of compulsory schooling for children and young people aged 5-19 years (or 21 years for learners with high needs), with a focus on a system that promotes equity and excellence for all NZ children and young people.

The review is limited to the state and state-integrated schooling system and relevant education agencies, but may take into account how the governance, management and administration of the schooling system impacts on the opportunities for employer engagement, the secondary-tertiary interface, transition to tertiary study and work, and transition from early learning to schooling.

The review will be broad-based and not constrained in its thinking, but should explore the following key themes:

  • The ability of governance, management and administration of the schooling system to respond to the education needs of the future;
  • The ability of schools to respond flexibly to their local communities and the need to balance this with every child’s right to a responsive education at their local school, regardless of where they live;
  • The roles of governance, management and administration in schools, and how they could better support equity and inclusion in the educational progress and outcomes for all children throughout their schooling;
  • Giving active expression to te Tiriti o Waitangi by exploring the impact of the governance, management and administrative system on the ability of schools to meet the needs of all Māori students and assessing its effectiveness for Māori medium students.
  • The environment within which schools operate, including the roles of the Ministry, ERO, NZQA, Education Council and NZSTA in supporting schools (and the yet to be established Education Advisory Service and the Leadership Council).

Operation | Whakahaere

The Taskforce will lead the review by:

  • Providing independent advice on the future arrangements for the governance, management and administration of schooling in New Zealand beyond 2020 to meet the needs of all New Zealanders.
  • Consulting widely to gather a representative spectrum of stakeholder views, including children and young people,(especially those for whom the current system is not effective), the teaching profession, parents, whānau, iwi and Pasifika communities, leaders and employers, and capturing these views in the final report.
  • Evaluating the environment within which schools operate, including the roles of the Ministry, ERO, NZQA, Education Council and NZSTA in supporting schools and whether these continue to be fit for purpose.
  • Considering how schools interact with social and wider government services.
  • Basing its advice on best practice, insight and sound evidence.
  • Evaluating the relative efficiencies and effectiveness of proposed changes and the potential impacts of change for children, schools and their communities.