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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.

Informed choice leads to better schooling outcomes
Jennifer Buckingham OAMAugust 18, 2009Adelaide Now

Over the last 10 years or so, the school education landscape across Australia has altered...

Schools of Thought: A Collection of Articles on Education
July 29, 2009

Over the last decade, schools policy in Australia has undergone significant changes. As a policy...

The enduring gender gap in education
Jennifer Buckingham OAMJuly 24, 2009

In 2000, the Howard government initiated a parliamentary inquiry into the education of boys in...

In a league of their own: the case against league tables and legislative bans
Jennifer Buckingham OAMJuly 10, 2009

In a surprising and badly judged move, the NSW Coalition has supported a legislative ban...

In Defence of Non-Government Schools
Jennifer Buckingham OAMJuly 2, 2009IA112

The Rudd Labor government has so far taken a hands-off approach to the issue of...

Report In Defence of Non-Government Schools
July 2, 2009

The freedom to choose a school, whether it is a government or non-government school, is...

Using Curriculum-Based Measurement for Primary School Maths Screening
Erica S. Lembke, Emily L. Singell, Gabriella Lyth Donofrio, Megyn MartinAugust 15, 2024AP75
Universal screening is an essential component of a Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) for maths and...
book
Learning Lessons. The future of small-group tutoring
Trisha JhaJuly 25, 2024AP73
Student data from national and international testing shows a large minority of students are not...
maths
The Science of Maths and How to Apply It
Siobhan MerloJuly 11, 2024AP71

Introduction Australian students’ results on international tests of mathematics (TIMMS) and numeracy (PISA) lag behind...

maths warning
Screening That Counts: Why Australia Needs Universal Early Numeracy Screening
Kelly NorrisJune 20, 2024RR49

Executive summary Better early identification of students struggling with mathematics is a critical step in...

Sharpening teacher tools: Creating an evidence-based standard for quality instructional materials
Jarrod CarterMay 23, 2024AP69

Executive summary Every Australian classroom and school rely on the support of instructional materials in...

Reimagining Teacher Professionalism. Why standards must be part of ITE reform
Rebecca BirchMarch 21, 2024AP64

1. Executive Summary The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Standards) do not adequately outline what...

Don’t blame the COVID pandemic for truancy
Glenn FaheyFebruary 8, 2024AFR

Don’t blame the COVID pandemic for truancy. Sliding attendance of Australia’s school students is a...

Education policy must mature beyond calls for more money
Glenn FaheyFebruary 3, 2024THE AUSTRALIAN

Education policy must mature from being dominated by demands for more funding and instead focus...

maths, anxiety, maths anxiety, policy, education
What does and doesn’t work when it comes to maths anxiety?
Glenn FaheyJanuary 24, 2024ABC

Rising levels of ‘maths anxiety’ should worry educators and policymakers. But misinformation about the issue...

maths anxiety
How maths anxiety could be holding you back
David C. GearyJanuary 23, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

The mathematical competencies of students have a long-term influence on their employability and wages in...

civics education, education, howard, australia, policy
Make civics education great again
Andrew BlythJanuary 11, 2024SPECTATOR - FLAT WHITE

The unveiling of the 2003 Howard Government Cabinet records last week is more than...

The political winners and losers of 2023
Simon CowanDecember 30, 2023CANBERRA TIMES

The political winners and losers of 2023 Once again it is the time of year...

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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