Become a Member Donate Now

• 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.

Focus on the children
Jennifer Buckingham OAMOctober 28, 2011

School funding in Australia is plagued by inconsistencies and divisiveness. The majority of public funding...

School Funding, Choice and Equity
Jennifer Buckingham OAMOctober 26, 2011IA126

School funding is plagued by inconsistencies and divisiveness. Its complexity has led to widespread misinformation...

Ditch the national curriculum
Barry MaleyOctober 21, 2011

While preparations continue for the implementation of a uniform, nationwide Australian School Curriculum, some states...

Thirst for knowledge
Peter KurtiOctober 21, 2011

Rising levels of school retention rates have contributed to record enrolments for this year’s HSC...

Fees disorientation
Adam CreightonOctober 14, 2011

The Howard government’s abolition of compulsory student unionism was a victory for fairness and efficiency....

Degrees of difference
Sara HudsonAugust 22, 2011Online Opinion

Recently I wrote about the separate Census form used for discrete Indigenous communities suggesting that...

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...

What Australia must do to lift flatlining student scores
Glenn FaheyDecember 6, 2023AFR

While Australian students have scored a mixed report card in the latest round of international...

Regional and remote schools funding review should not be ignored
Scott PrasserDecember 6, 2023CANBERRA TIMES

Parents, teachers and students in regional and remote areas should be concerned that most of...

Teaching classroom school
ACT inquiry into teaching foundations must focus on solutions
Trisha JhaDecember 4, 2023CANBERRA TIMES

It is a testament to the energy and dedication of teachers that hundreds of them...

How to turn around Australian kids’ appalling classroom behaviour
Glenn FaheyOctober 2, 2023AFR

The dismal state of student behaviour has long been the elephant in the classroom. To...

failure
Eliminating the F-word: No more failure?
Steven SchwartzSeptember 21, 2023SPECTATOR

By preventing students from experiencing failure, we will keep them from gaining the self-confidence that...

NAPLAN dive shows funding splurge is no fix for learning woes
Glenn FaheyAugust 23, 2023THE AUSTRALIAN

The NAPLAN results just released reveal a significant underperforming tail, which means school systems must...

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 the Indigenous Sub-committee of the Standing Committee for the Review of Government Services Provision. 2011
Sara HudsonJanuary 31, 2011

Submission to the Indigenous Sub-committee of the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Services...

Public Education in New South Wales: Submission to the ‘Vinson’ Inquiry
Ross HaroldNovember 28, 2001IA20

The most effective way of improving school performance without increasing recurrent funding is to enable...

No Podcasts Available

• Subscribe

Subscribe now and stay in the loop with our giving appeals, event alerts, newsletters and research updates.

We are always pleased to hear from you. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us here:

+61 2 9438 4377
CIS Office
cis@cis.org.au
CIS Media
kpincott@cis.org.au