The Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education Report is informed by 340 submissions lodged by members of the public, government agencies, education authorities, private sector organisations and the philanthropic sector, and an extensive literature review. As well, face-to-face consultations were held in regional, rural and remote locations around the country and all of the capital cities. Details are available in Appendix B and Appendix C has a list of organisations and categories of individuals who provided submissions.

The Regional, Rural and Remote (RRR) review commenced with an extensive literature review which focused predominantly on publications since 2006 and included relevant peer reviewed articles, reports and grey literature mainly from Australia, the USA and Canada, and then other OECD countries and elsewhere as appropriate.

From the literature review and other relevant sources, nine themes or factors were identified which have a major impact on students’ achievements and which also provide new opportunities, namely:

• Curriculum and assessment
• Teachers and teaching
• Leaders and leadership
• School and community
• Information and Communication Technology
• Entrepreneurship and schools
• Improving access—enrolments, clusters, distance education, boarding
• Diversity
• Transitioning beyond school

Details about each of these were published in the Discussion Paper written and distributed widely to assist individuals and organisations with making submissions to the Review and also the national schedule of consultations.