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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.

The Truth about Private Schools in Australia
Jennifer Buckingham OAMAugust 1, 2000IA13

Private schools in Australia consistently outperform public schools not due to better financial resources or...

A degree of uncertainty
July 19, 2000The Courier Mail

We often hear about a crisis in our universities, but the crisis is older and...

Degrees of Difficulty: The Labour Market Problems of Arts and Social Science Graduates
Andrew NortonJuly 19, 2000IA12

That the Australian higher education system is comprehensively rigged against students is evident from the...

Why Learning is a Hard Haul Without a Dad
Alison RichJuly 15, 2000The Age

Research over the last few years has shown that, on average, children from sole parent...

Trailing the Class: Sole Parent Families and Educational Disadvantage
Alison RichJune 26, 2000IA11

The association between family structure and educational performance has been the focus of much research...

Boy Troubles: Understanding Rising Suicide, Rising Crime and Educational Failure
Jennifer Buckingham OAMJune 14, 2000PM46

Australian boys are at greater risk of doing badly at school, participating in juvenile crime,...

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...

The fantasy of ‘Gonski funding’ set to continue
Blaise JosephMay 5, 2017Ideas@TheCentre

As Yogi Berra said: “It’s déjà vu all over again.” While we’re still recovering from...

Smart parents favour quality education over fancy buildings
Jennifer Buckingham OAMMay 5, 2017Ideas@TheCentre

With student numbers swelling in city public schools — partly because of population growth and...

Why ‘giving a Gonski’ doesn’t mean better education or a better funding model
Blaise JosephMay 1, 2017Australian Financial Review

For certain parts of the education sector, ‘Gonski’ funding has taken on an almost mythical...

Evidence needed before education shifts
Blaise Joseph, Jennifer Buckingham OAMMarch 31, 2017Ideas@TheCentre

The working lives of people entering the Australian workforce in 2017 are different to those...

Literally no idea about literacy and numeracy
Blaise JosephMarch 17, 2017Ideas@TheCentre

In my entire teacher education degree, there was just one subject dedicated to learning how...

The 4C’s do not exist without the 3R’s
Jennifer Buckingham OAMMarch 10, 2017Ideas@TheCentre

Almost every day, a new evangelist for so-called ’21st Century’ learning makes a heartfelt plea...

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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