Australia expects each of its schools to provide an excellent education that meets children’s diverse needs. But this is difficult work and most schools lack the support needed to achieve it.

Too many children are treading water in schools that struggle to improve academic performance, meet students’ complex needs, or offer a rich set of life experiences. Principals, meanwhile, are straining under the weight of expectations. And teachers frequently find themselves in workplaces that lack the resources and know-how to provide the training and career development essential for a strong profession.

Establishing multi-school organisations (MSOs) could help. MSOs are strong ‘families’ of schools, bound together through a united executive leadership that is accountable for students’ results.

For this report, Grattan Institute conducted case studies of successful MSOs in England and New York City. Most of these MSOs run schools that are fully-government funded, fee-free, and open to all students.

The case studies show that effective MSOs increase the odds of school improvement. Leading strong families of between 10 and 100 schools, these MSOs have a mandate to maintain high standards, and are accountable for doing so. Each has a clear blueprint for running an effective school, and the authority to enact this blueprint across multiple schools, including turning around schools that have under-performed for decades.