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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.

Lessons that everyone can profit from
Jennifer Buckingham OAMSeptember 25, 2006The Australian Financial Review

In the world of education, certain words have image problems. One of the words most...

Setting readers to rights
August 31, 2006The Australian

In 1997, federal, state and territory education ministers agreed that “every child commencing school from...

Tackling Literacy in Remote Aboriginal Communities
Kirsten StorryAugust 31, 2006IA73

There is an alarming educational gap facing remote Aboriginal communities. The gap in literacy between...

Funding system is broken
August 28, 2006The Age

The annual release of the Good Universities Guide, with its estimates of how much each...

Report into literacy and numeracy too narrow
August 8, 2006The Canberra Times

Late last month, in his address to Reconciliation Australia, Prime Minister John Howard said education...

Choice is best for curriculum
Jennifer Buckingham OAMJuly 31, 2006The Age

School curricula and the standards of students seem to be constantly under fire, with discussion...

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...

UNSW gender-activism HR masquerade
Monica WilkieMarch 1, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

The thought police on university campuses have developed a new tool to ensure their students...

Attempts to shoehorn indigenous studies into foreign language courses makes hard subjects even harder
Blaise JosephFebruary 27, 2019The Daily Telegraph

In education, some people want to try any new fad — except things that will...

Paying kids to learn?
Kerrie WrattenFebruary 22, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

Few people would disagree with the idea of investigating ways to improve student motivation. But...

Misreading the data will not help the teachers
Jennifer Buckingham OAMFebruary 9, 2019The Australian

Outdated teaching methods based on disproved theories remain widespread despite the abundance of good and...

Enquiry-based learning isn’t evidence-based
Blaise JosephFebruary 1, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

You have to wonder how many times something has to be tried before people stop...

Page Research Centre School Education Policy Paper 2019
Fiona MuellerJanuary 24, 2019Page Research Centre

School education outcomes in Australia are poor by international standards and are declining. The Page...

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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