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• Education

Quality school education is vital for individual potential and a healthy society. All children should have access to an education that is responsive to their needs as well as upholding high academic standards. CIS’s research focus is on policies that improve the quality of teaching and student outcomes.

Australia’s Export Exposure to China’s Coronavirus Epidemic
Salvatore BabonesFebruary 18, 2020AP7

This paper estimates the direct and immediate effects of the coronavirus epidemic on the revenues...

Jacinta Price and Scott Morrison
Closing the gap requires us to reject separatism
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Simon CowanFebruary 15, 2020Canberra Times

This week the Prime Minister delivered the latest (not) Closing the Gapreport, which again shows...

More dollars don’t make sense
Glenn FaheyFebruary 14, 2020ideas@theCentre

Australia’s four million school students may now be back in class, but it seems policymakers...

Outcomes before inputs in education
Glenn FaheyFebruary 8, 2020The Australian

Each new school year elicits mixed emotions for parents and children, ranging from excitement to...

Early years of primary importance
Blaise JosephJanuary 31, 2020Financial Review

It is a myth that primary school is less important than secondary school.Parental engagement and...

Human cost of failing the education test
Fiona MuellerJanuary 27, 2020Canberra Times

Many young Australians will begin 2020 with optimism as they make plans for further study,...

Childcare in Australia: A new approach
Gigi FosterNovember 20, 2025RR51

Executive summary Several well-known bodies, from the Productivity Commission to the Australian Competition and Consumer...

Knowledge is power: What do teachers believe about learning?
Trisha JhaOctober 30, 2025AP92

Executive Summary This report presents findings from literature about what teachers believe about how students...

Sex and maths success: myths and interventions
David C. GearyJuly 17, 2025AP83

Executive summary Mathematical competencies at the completion of secondary school influence later educational and occupational...

Early Numbers, Big Ideas. Fostering Number Sense in Young Children
Nancy C. Jordan, Nancy DysonJuly 10, 2025AP82

Introduction Numbers are an integral part of our daily lives, both inside and outside of...

Fractions Minus the Friction. A guide to four teaching practices
Leanne R. Ketterlin-Geller, Allison McClure, Cassandra HatfieldDecember 12, 2024AP78

Introduction Understanding fractions has a significant impact on both individuals and society. Fractions are an...

The Argument For Debate: how school debating can improve academic outcomes and foster a stronger democracy
Deidre Clary, Fiona MuellerDecember 5, 2024AP77

Introduction The Education Goals for Young Australians prioritise “excellence and equity” and the formation of...

Teach in classroom
Discipline not a dirty word in a child’s education
Katharine BirbalsinghOctober 17, 2022THE AUSTRALIAN

It should go without saying that for students to have the best chance of learning,...

classroom
Discipline is the missing part of the school jigsaw
Glenn FaheyOctober 5, 2022DAILY TELEGRAPH

There’s no denying that Australian schools have a behaviour problem, but it could be turned...

education
How to solve Australia’s puzzling education conundrum
Simon Cowan, Glenn FaheySeptember 24, 2022CANBERRA TIMES

Although it’s hard to get too excited by yet another review, there is potential for...

Truancy
Truancy is a scandal, but don’t blame the kids
Glenn FaheySeptember 22, 2022AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

It may not shock you to learn that regular school attendance is crucial to students’...

Student debt
There’s a lesson to be learnt in robbing Peter to pay Paul
Steven SchwartzSeptember 3, 2022THE AUSTRALIAN

A nanosecond after US President Joe Biden announced the partial cancellation of student loans, a...

TEACHING CRISIS
Are we really in a so-called teaching crisis?
Simon Cowan, Glenn FaheyAugust 13, 2022CANBERRA TIMES

No doubt you’ve heard stories by claiming we’ve got a massive shortage of teachers right...

Behind Every Great Teacher Is a Great System | David Didau, Jenny Donovan & Trisha Jha
Trisha Jha, David Didau, Jenny DonovanMarch 20, 2026

David Didau — education consultant, teacher trainer, and author of Making Kids Cleverer and Intelligent...

Education Reform That Works: Insights from UK, New Zealand & Australia
Glenn Fahey, Nick Gibb, Jason Clare MPDecember 8, 2025

Three leading education ministers — Sir Nick Gibb (UK), Erica Stanford (New Zealand), and Jason...

What do teachers believe about learning? | Trisha Jha
Trisha JhaNovember 6, 2025

This report presents findings from literature about what teachers believe about how students learn: the...

Restoring Excellence in Australian Education | Senator Jonathon Duniam
Glenn FaheyOctober 3, 2025

At this Centre for Independent Studies forum, Shadow Federal Minister for Education Senator Jonathon Duniam...

Evidence vs Ideology: Why the Science of Learning Matters?
Doctor Carl Hendrick, Doctor Simon Breakspear, Glenn FaheyJune 26, 2025

As Australian student outcomes decline and education inequality persists, a growing movement is challenging the...

The science of learning will set students free | Glenn Fahey
Robert Forsyth, Glenn FaheyJune 13, 2025

Robert Forsyth interviews Glenn Fahey, director of the education program at the Centre for Independent...

Submission to Senate Education and Employment References Committee
Michael Wu October 22, 2025CIS

Despite good intentions, Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care system has expanded well beyond its...

Submission to the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report on Building a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce
Trisha JhaSeptember 18, 2025

Submission at a glance 1. Achieving written curriculum quality is a necessary step for long-term...

Submission to the Independent Review of Education in Tasmania
Trisha JhaOctober 4, 2024

Introduction The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a leading independent public policy think tank...

Submission to the Inquiry into Literacy and Numeracy in ACT Public Schools
Trisha JhaFebruary 27, 2024

This submission does not directly seek to answer the 20 questions posted in the Consultation...

Submission to the Legislative Council Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria
Trisha JhaOctober 4, 2023

Introduction The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) is a leading independent public policy think...

Submission to the NSW Curriculum Review Interim Report Consultations
Fiona MuellerDecember 1, 2019

The NSW Government commissioned a review of the state’s curriculum in September, 2018, to be...

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