The study presents a review of the establishment and operation of the Curriculum Consultancy Section of the ACT Schools Authority over the period of the first decade of its existence. It considers the move to establish a new and different education system; the important reports which gave impetus to that move; first the Currie Report (1967.), Report on an Independent Education Authority for the Australian Capital Territory and the three further reports which kept the spirit of the Currie Report alive, i.e. the Neal-Radford Report (1972.), the Campbell Report (1973.), and the Hughes Report (1973.). The study emphasises the haste with which the new system was finally established; that there was not time to develop a 'coherent, imaginative and suitable plan' (Currie, 1967, p.9.) and that staff resources were inadequate. As Beare (1978.) has noted, 'At no time in its first four years was the Schools Office given the manpower needed merely for maintenance functions let alone for development activities ... .' (p.80.) The curriculum issues that arose in planning this new system and the curriculum context within Australia are considered prior to a close examination of the development and operation of the section during the decade; the pressures which affected it and the changes which occurred This examination as the main body of the study falls easily into three periods; The First Years; The Middle Years of the First Decade; and the Final Years of the First Decade; each period coinciding with the period of tenure of one of the three principals the section has had in those ten years. Throughout this main body of the study the major recurring themes affecting the life of the section are closely followed, i.e. the conflict within the system, the diversity of demands and the difficulties of meeting those demands, the difficulty of defining role and function and the problems of leadership. In conclusion the study reflects on these recurring themes and examines the changes which have occurred over the decade, e.g. the changes in role and function, the shift in orientation to consultancy, the changes in selection and professional development of consultants, the concentration of consultants in priority areas and the developing cohesiveness of the consultancy section. Finally the study addresses the future; consideration is given to the stage in the life cycle of an organisation that the ACT Schools Authority is at currently and to the effect that this may possibly have upon the undoubtedly troubled future of the Curriculum Consultancy Section. The study draws on the documents available; on interviews with people who have worked in the area and also on the extensive body of literature which is available.

This study describes an evaluation of some aspects of the Australian Capital Territory Resource Teacher Program during 1985. The Resource Teacher Program was an Australian Capital Territory Schools Authority initiative whereby an additional specially trained teacher was allocated to a school to assist with fulfilling particular needs which the school had identified. The study used two techniques to collect information, questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire data was analysed and provided response frequencies of all 263 respondents in relation to students, teachers, parents and schools in each of the sixteen schools in the Program. Interviews were also conducted to allow for those involved in the Resource Teacher Program to make a direct contribution to the study's information base. Aspects of two theoretical education evaluation approaches were used as the basis of the study's theoretical framework. The TenBrink model was used, working from required judgements through to recommendations. Aspects of Stake's approach to educational evaluational were also used to enable identification of issues and to facilitate input of the Resource Teacher Program's participants. It was shown that students who had been involved in the Resource Teacher Program benefitted in the areas of academic progress, behaviour modification programs, previously unmet needs and gifted and talented programs. Teacher benefits were in the areas of in-school curriculum and advisory support. Parents who had been involved in the Program had benefitted by developing an increased understanding of current educational practice and how to help their children. Schools had benefitted through better use of school counsellors, increased parent participation and improved teaching resources. The identification of issues which required consideration in order to enhance the Program's effectiveness were of major importance in this study. These included the Resource Teachers' role definition, Resource Teacher stress, school commitment to the Resource Teacher Program, evaluation of the Program, the training program, the notion of secondary school resource teachers and the Australian Capital Territory's Schools Authority's commitment to the Resource Teacher Program.

This field study addresses the question of how one organisation organised for the purposes of policy review and development. It does so through a case study of the A.C.T. Schools Authority Review of Provision for Children with Special Needs. This review, which took place during 1981, was conducted by an intra-organisational Task Force formed specifically for that purpose. In line with the principles established as a basis for the A.C.T. government school system, the review was organised in a way which encouraged wide participation by educationalists and the community at large. The field study comprises three main chapters, the first of which traces the history and development of the A.C.T. school system. Here the emphasis is upon the methods adopted to develop policy from the earliest days of the organisation to the time of the review. The second chapter provides an account of the establishment and conduct of the review stressing the vital importance of matters related to leadership and resources. In the third chapter various aspects of the review are analysed in relation to selected literature on organisations. It analyses the organisational context and structure of the review, and in the light of this, considers questions of the styles of leaderhsip actually adopted. Throughout the study the aim is to understand the organisational processes involved with an emphasis upon the appropriateness of the means employed to meet the demands for policy review.

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Since its inception the A.C.T. Schools Authority has implemented a number of changes in attempts to meet its aim to provide high quality programmes for children. In the case of enrolment policy the decision to change to continuous enrolment was made in many schools less on educational grounds than as a result of economic and political pressures. However, any policy which has an impact on children's learning in schools must be examined in the light of its educational implications. This study attempts to do this. It attempts to assess the policy on educational grounds with a particular focus on the programmes offered to individual children and the day to day problems encountered by teachers who attempt to implement the policy.

In 1980, the A.C.T. Schools' Authority through the curriculum development section together with its curriculum consultants, helped to initiate and develop a pilot programme In relation to Year 6 students about to proceed to Year 7. This programme was made possible by the co-operative participation of both primary and secondary schools, their principals and staffs. The programme aimed at building bridges between primary and secondary schools, between primary and secondary teachers and between the curriculum of primary and secondary schools. This study began, as has been said,.where a Pilot Programme introduced by the A.C.T. Schools' Authority, by its Curriculum Development Section, left off. It aimed to explore further the nature of the 'day to day' reality experienced by some Year 6 students in the Australian Capital Territory. In addition, it aimed to explore and gain insights into the process of transition by following up those students who had been part of the sample in Year 6. It includes individual perceptions of the process. In designing research instruments and investigating the process of transition, certain theoretical concepts drawn from both psychology and sociology were used to crystallise the observations made. In addition, earlier studies concerning transition were assessed as well as those in related areas. In the process of this field study, many observations were made, some contradictory, and generally the field study seems to have raised as many questions as it has answered. As might have been expected, any study dealing with human reaction is complex-more so when there are different types of institutions to be considered. Nonetheless it is only apparently inconclusive enquiries like this which will add to the store of knowledge and allow assumptions to be replaced by more precise data.

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This dissertation investigates the supply of and demand for High School teachers, working in prescribed faculty areas in Government schools in the A.C.T., over the period from January 1983 to July 1984, for all new temporary teachers appointed to the Service. Statistical details of vacancies for assistant teachers, in the 12 defined faculties of this study, were obtained from the Assistant Principals (Staffing) of the 17 A.C.T. High Schools, as well as from records maintained by the Staffing Officers of the A.C.T. Schools Office. The levels of High School teacher demand, for the period under investigation, are compared with similar statistics obtained for previous years in the A.C.T., as well with other Australian and international figures on teacher supply and demand. Through these comparisons, suggestions are made regarding emerging trends of teacher shortage, in particular faculty areas. Historical parallels are presented to supplement these arguments and to give underlying reasons for the projections that are made. The potential supply of faculty teachers over the period is investigated through an analysis of teacher faculty waiting lists. Numbers from these lists are compared with the actual demand statistics previously collected and a potential supply to vacancy ratio collected for each faculty area. A major part of the study is the construction of supply satisfaction indices, under the headings of: "Overall Satisfaction, Teaching Skills, Academic Qualifications, Other Requirements and Recruitment". These indices were derived from Likert type rating scales completed by the Assistant Principals, in respect of each of the 397 temporary teachers employed. After obtaining an average rating in each faculty, for the five measures of satisfaction, as determined by the Assistant Principals, observations are made as to how closely these indices match the corresponding potential supply indices. Particular emphasis is placed on the comparisons between the recruitment satisfaction index (i.e. - how quickly recruitment was expedited) and the potential supply ratio for each faculty. Reasons are advanced for any significant differences detected, and the overall findings interpreted in terms of possible future trends. The study concludes with an analysis of factors affecting the market for teachers. Recommendations are made for future planning that may offset problems which were detected in the A.C.T. market for High School teachers.

The Report of the Field Study is a descriptive record of:- (i) the development of the A.C.T. Schools Authority according to a particular philosophy and operational structure of devolution of responsibility to schools and community participation in decision making at school and system level. (ii) the impact which changes in government policy in the areas of (a) growth of the Australian Public Service and Canberra (b) funding of the A.C.T. government schools have on the A.C.T. Schools Authority operations. (iii) the mechanism by which policy is being developed for the maintenance of small high schools as individual organizations in a situation of contracting enrolments. The functions of the A.C.T. Schools Authority are, amongst others, to establish and conduct,pre schools, primary schools, high schools and secondary colleges. In 1980 there were 165 schools and of these only three were outside the city of Canberra. During the 1960's Canberra underwent extensive expansion of the city boundaries because of rapid increases in population as a result of government policy in establishing the city as the seat of government. Government departments were moved from rented premises in other cities to new purpose built buildings in Canberra. Economic conditions and government funding supported all aspects of the expansion as it continued into the '70's. The government school building programme was one of many which had to be integrated into the city growth plan. In 1960 there were three secondary schools, in 1970 there were nine and in 1980 there were twenty three. This Field Study is concerned with the A.C.T. Schools Authority's approach to its responsibilities under the following changed circumstances. 1. Change in growth rate of Canberra. From 1976, as a result of a change in government policy and in different economic conditions and policies there was a dramatic and unpredicted decrease in the rate of population increase. Movement of government departments to Canberra was severely curtailed and the service industries and building industries consequently also dramatically reduced their expansion. By 1978 there was evidence of a severe contraction in these industries and the growth of Canberra in the 60's to mid 70's had changed to a no-growth and then a decline. 2. Schools with small enrolments. Added to the nil or very slow population increase in some suburbs is the decline in the number of school age children in the inner suburbs of the city resulting in schools accommodating down to half of their previous numbers of students and the completion of school buildings in the as yet underpopulated outer suburbs. This latter situation developed because the lead time required for the planning and building of new schools is such that irreversible decisions had been made in the context of the population growth period and the resulting building programme was overtaken by the unexpected policy reversal causing a no growth situation to develop. The empty school buildings provoked the sparsely populated new communities to press for their opening and so provide what were seen to be essential community facilities. 3. Strict controls on costs. Allied to its policy restricting the growth rate of Canberra the government introduced strict controls on the cost of government education services in the A.C.T. The real difficulty was in the nature of the controls. Per-pupil costs were not to rise in real terms after 1976/77. With "fixed" costs such as cleaning, heating, maintenance, lighting and janitor rising or at least remaining constant whilst school enrolments decline, there was little hope of meeting the government directive. The Authority therefore considered the possibilities of deferring the opening of new schools and phasing out some inner Canberra schools as the only means of carrying out its responsibility. The proposal evoked strong community reaction. It was claimed that such an edict from the central authority was in contravention of the philosophical and legal foundations of the A.C.T. system. School Boards and communities were the places where decisions could be made that would enable their schools to remain as functioning entities, providing their students with creative educational programmes and still adapt to the economic constraints of the total system. Faced with this resounding community disapproval the Schools Authority established a Working Party on llth June 1979 "To consider the problems of declining and shifting school populations and its effect on the A.C.T. school system. In particular it will examine educational, financial and staffing problems associated with conducting small secondary schools and report to the Authority no later than June 1980". The Working Party then mounted a programme of enquiry throughout the A.C.T. Teachers, parents, students, School Boards, P & C committees and public meetings were asked to submit proposals, express opinions and respond to models. The resulting report Declining and Shifting Enrolments in A.C.T. Secondary schools was presented and public response invited. Once again the philosophy of the A.C.T. government school system was being put into practice. The study also investigates some of the issues in respect of the individual small school facing declining enrolments and consequently reductions in staffing and financial resources. Some conclusions are posed for the individual school, the A.C.T. Schools Authority and the various government instrumentalities which service and to some extent control, the A.C.T. government school system.

In January, 1974, the Interim ACT Schools Authority assumed responsibility for pre, primary and secondary schools in the Australian Capital Territory. It took steps to provide a basis for the restructuring of secondary education. The traditional six-year comprehensive high school was to be replaced in 1976 by a four-year high school and a two-year secondary college. The Interim Authority decided that each school should be responsible for its own curriculum which should not be constrained by an external examination. A system of course development and teacher assessment, to replace the New South Wales Higher School Certificate syllabuses and examination, was developed during 1974. The Interim Authority sought the advice of the Australian Council for Educational Research, and a report prepared by it was used to stimulate public debate. After considering a wide cross section of points of view the Interim Authority decided that accredited courses would replace syllabuses, teacher assessments, the examination and profile reports the Certificate. The ACT Schools Accrediting Agency, a committee of the Interim Authority, was formed in 1975 to administer accrediting assessment and reporting. The Accrediting Agency negotiated the basis for tertiary entrance for ACT students. It determined that a single aggregate score, the Tertiary Entrance Score, should be calculated, using aggregated scaled teacher assessments. Scores from three major and one minor accredited-TES courses scaled by the Australian Scholastic Aptitude Test total score would be aggregated. A system-wide order of merit would be created. The maximum aggregate score would be 360. The basis for the aggregate was very different from that which it was replacing. In New South Wales, five subject scores with a possible maximum of 900 was used. An examination of a number of comparison and correlation studies presented in Part B indicates that ASAT scaling of teacher estimates improves the correlation of teacher estimates with the Higher School Certificate examination aggregate scores. Some correlations between ASAT-scaled criteria and HSC aggregates are in the order of 0.9. As is expected some movement away from what was acceptable in 1975 occurred. When examined in the light of the philosophy of school responsibility for curriculum and assessment the procedures adopted certainly facilitate this, while at the same time produce students' results which can be used as confidently as external examination results have been.