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.

Public primary schools are holding their own
Jennifer Buckingham OAMApril 18, 2015The Australian

Parents who pay large sums of money for their children to attend high-fee non-government schools...

Poor evaluation leads to poor policy
Jennifer Buckingham OAMApril 17, 2015

Policy development and implementation in Australia has long been plagued by poor evaluation. As a...

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Patrick CarvalhoApril 17, 2015

The need for policy reform in Australia is reaching crisis stage, but all we get...

MEDIA RELEASE: Productivity Commission doesn’t do enough for the number of childcare places
Trisha JhaFebruary 20, 2015

The government released the long-awaited final version of the Productivity Commission’s report on childcare late...

Poor students likely to make poor teachers
Jennifer Buckingham OAMFebruary 13, 2015The Australian

The report by the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) released today is largely what...

MEDIA RELEASE: WA should be congratulated for turning down Independent Public Schools funding
Jennifer Buckingham OAMFebruary 11, 2015CIS

Western Australia’s decision to decline Commonwealth funding does not indicate a failure of federal government...

Conduct Becoming. The importance of the Behaviour Curriculum
Tom BennettOctober 5, 2023AP56

Introduction Behaviour in many schools in the UK is often far below what it could...

Teaching Behaviour: How Classroom Conduct Can Unlock Better Learning
Tim McDonaldSeptember 28, 2023AP55

Introduction In Australia, and in education settings across the world, student behaviour and levels of...

Starting off on the wrong foot: How to improve Initial Teacher Education in Australia
Glenn Fahey, Rob JosephAugust 14, 2023AP53

Executive summary Australia’s Initial Teacher Education (ITE) sector has been under review for much of...

In Defence of Meritocracy
Steven SchwartzJuly 6, 2023AP50

Introduction Democracies, dictatorships, and all other forms of government face the same dilemma—how to allocate...

Degree Inflation: Undermining the value of higher education
Steven SchwartzMay 18, 2023AP48

Degree Inflation: Undermining the value of higher education — Executive Summary The past 20 years...

ATAR changes
ATAR’s rising relevance: admission standards and completion rates
Rob JosephFebruary 27, 2023AP44

Join us on Wednesday, 27 March, as we welcome Sarah Powell to CIS to discuss...

We’ve spent the money, now what about the results?
Blaise JosephFebruary 23, 2026CANBERRA TIMES
We have a great window of opportunity now to finally follow through on education reforms...
Education has become a system designed to issue credentials rather than create knowledge
Steven SchwartzFebruary 10, 2026THE AUSTRALIAN
When a society forgets the difference between learning and performance, between a mind and a...
Science of learning
How revamping education will boost the Australian economy
Trisha JhaJanuary 24, 2026CANBERRA TIMES
If Australia wants productivity growth, it needs to start in the classroom....
Australia’s education system is failing students despite $100bn spending
Fiona MuellerDecember 27, 2025THE AUSTRALIAN
Taxpayers know all too well that massive increases in education funding (approaching $100 billion a...
School child reading book
Turning up a first step to success
Trisha JhaDecember 4, 2025DAILY TELEGRAPH
The best that can be said about the latest national attendance data is that things...
Give teachers clarity: Maths curriculum should build the staircase, not set the high jump
Kelly NorrisOctober 28, 2025EDUCATIONHQ

The national review of the F–2 maths curriculum is a welcome chance to put the...

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...

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