Scope of Inquiry 

The Commission is to provide advice on the refinement of the national approach to collecting and using data for early childhood education and care and schools, and other information as relevant, to improve Australia’s educational outcomes.

In undertaking this Inquiry, the Commission should use evidence from Australia and overseas to report on and make recommendations about:

1. The information required to provide a comprehensive evidence base to inform policy development in early learning and school education now and in the future. This includes consideration of current data holdings at a national, state and sectoral level, their effectiveness in supporting educational outcomes, and the long term vision for such educational data holdings. 

2. What additional information could be considered and how it might add value to the existing evidence base. This may include data concerning non-cognitive skills, and information from other sectors, including but not be limited to: employment, health, social services, early childhood and higher education.

3. Existing or potential barriers to the sharing of education (and other relevant) data and how these can be overcome. Considerations should include, but not be limited to: privacy concerns, costs, technological capacity, sector-based sensitivities, national and jurisdictional data governance structures and workforce capability.

4. Factors that inhibit access to, and consistency of, education-relevant data to support analysis and evidence-based policy development. Considerations should include, but not be limited to: privacy concerns, legislative and technical frameworks, national and jurisdictional data governance structures, workforce research and analytical capabilities, stakeholder engagement, sectorbased sensitivities and implementation timeframes.

5. The role technology and mobile devices can play on the scope, quality and timeliness of data collection and reporting.

6. The costs and benefits of options for improvements to the national education evidence base including the administrative and financial impacts on schools and early childhood education and care providers of any suggested change in data collection practices. Consideration should include what opportunities exist to apply efficiencies to existing data collection.

7. How Australian and overseas governments have approached the use of evidence and sharing data to improve outcomes (in education and noneducation sectors) and the potential benefits and challenges of adopting these practices in the Australian education context.