Effectiveness of the Tutor Learning Initiative
Overview
We plan to determine whether the Department of Education's Tutor Learning Initiative has improved learning and engagement outcomes for participating students.
Why this is important
DE established its Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) in 2021, which provides funding to schools to engage tutors to provide students with extra targeted learning support, in response to student learning disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
TLI was initially funded for one year, however DE received funding to continue this initiative in 2022 and 2023. DE states it is the largest single initiative in targeted learning support in the state’s history, with funding of $765 million over 3 years ($250 million in 2021, $230 million in 2022 and $285 million in 2023).
DE estimates that learning disruptions during COVID-19 impacted roughly 20 per cent of all students in Victoria, particularly those at risk of disengaging from school, students with pre existing lower English language skills, and those without an appropriate home learning environment.
There is limited public reporting by DE on TLI, and this audit is important to understand whether student learning outcomes and engagement have improved as a result of TLI. DE provides funds to government and non-government schools (low-fee-paying Catholic and independent schools) and it is important to understand what monitoring and oversight DE has in place to ensure funds are used as intended.
What we plan to examine
This is a reasonable assurance performance audit.
We plan to determine whether TLI has improved learning and engagement outcomes for participating students. We also plan to examine how DE allocates TLI funding to schools based on their needs, and its oversight and monitoring of schools who received funding to ensure it is used as intended.
Who we plan to examine
DE
Timeframe
2023‒24