Slide 1

Parity for All: Aspiration and expectation in New Zealand Dr Airini A seminar co-sponsored by the Department of Education Studies and the Centre for Policy Studies in Higher Education and Training, The University of British Columbia 20 th September 2012

Slide 2

The Tertiary Education Commission expects Tertiary Education Organisations to: ensure that Mori and Pacific students participate and achieve at all levels at least on a par with other learners. (TEC Plan Guidance for 2013. http://www.tec.govt.nz/Funding/investment-plans/Plan-guidance-for-2013/)

Slide 3

Slide 4

During 2013 to 2015, New Zealands tertiary education system needs to make a bigger contribution to New Zealands economic growth, and it needs to do it within current levels of government investment. This means focusing on outcomes and raising performance especially for Mori and Pacific learners, where the biggest gains are to be made.

Slide 5

Parity through Hard wired targets

Slide 6

Presentation summary Why have parity targets? Approach underpinning the targets Issues and intentions Monitoring progress on the targets Discussion: When can parity be a reasonable expectation?

Slide 7

Parity targets amidst global trends in tertiary education Growing importance of the knowledge society/economy Trade in education services Education is increasingly viewed as a major engine of economic development, and a private good. Inequality, access and success

Slide 8

New Zealand

Slide 9

Aoteraoa New Zealand

Slide 10

Pasifika New Zealand

Slide 11

New Zealand: Tertiary Education Strategy The Governments vision is for a world-leading education system that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values to be successful citizens in the 21st century. A world-leading education system is an important first step towards a productive and growing economy that delivers greater prosperity, security and opportunity for all New Zealanders. Tertiary Education Strategy 2010-2015

Slide 12

Tertiary Education Strategy: Mori Vision: Enable Mori to enjoy education success as Mori A unique place as tangata whenua and partners to the Treaty of Waitangi. Tertiary education has a particular responsibility to maintain and develop Mori language and culture to support Mori living as Mori in both Te Ao Mori and in wider society. Mori business and development are making a major contribution to New Zealands economy and society. Acknowledging and advancing Mori language, culture and identity is important in providing a basis for Mori success in all forms of education. One in five tertiary students is Mori. Tertiary Education Strategy 2010-2015

Slide 13

ACHIEVING PRIORITIES BY 2015 target priority groups - increasing the number of Mori students enjoying success at higher levels - increasing the number of Pasifika students achieving at higher levels improve system performance support high-quality research that helps to drive innovation.

Slide 14

How the New Zealand tertiary system makes change

Slide 15

Parity: Recent history 2011: Ka Hikitia Managing for Success: The Mori Education Plan 2008-2012 mid-term review: Implementation of the Mori education strategy was progressing too slowly. The Pasifika Education Plan 2009-2012: Some improvement but gap between Pasifika and non-Pasifika remains and is expanding in some cases. Cabinet-agreed actions. 2012: TEC Board: Progress made for Mori and Pasifika, but providers tend to set conservative targets in their Investment Plans, and educational outcome disparities have remained the same or widened relative to non-Mori and non-Pasifika.

Slide 16

Parity: Expectation 2012: TEC expects tertiary education organisations to ensure that Maori and Pacific learners participate and achieve at all levels at least on a par with other learners

Slide 17

Mori. Pasifika. Underlying reasons why Mori and Pasifika do not participate or achieve in tertiary education at the same rate as Other people has been the focus of research over some time. There is little information on whether Mori and Pasifika outcomes are affected by the same factors or in the same way. There are key differences between the two populations. The parity investment approach is about system performance.

Slide 18

Parity: Reasonable benchmarks A range of possible benchmarks: o 15-64 yr pop (2006 Census) o 15-39 yr pop (2006 Census) o 15-24 yr pop (2006 Census) o School leavers (2010) o School leavers with no attainment (2010) o School leavers with at least NCEA Level 2 (2010) o School leavers with UE (2010) The year for which the targets should be set Targets for Wananga Targets for PTEs Increasing the stretch for universities

Slide 19

Parity: Focus of targets It became clear from the analysis of participation and achievement that the main focus of the targets should be on parity of achievement, as this is clearly an area where disparity exists and has not improved markedly. Mori are currently either on par or over-represented, in terms of participation, in all sub-sectors except universities Pasifika participation is currently on par or above-par compared to population benchmarks for all sub-sectors except universities, under- represented particularly at Level 8+ in Universities, and the proportion of ITO trainees at Level 4+ is also under-par. A comparison of completion rates for both courses and qualifications shows that Mori and Pasifika are consistently under-achieving across all sectors and broad groupings of level.

Slide 20

Achievement

Slide 21

Example: University sector Examples of options considered for participation targets for Universities The % of EFTS that are provided by each university to Mori/Pasifika learners should be at least on par with the: Option 1: % of national 15-39 population who are Mori/Pasifika by 2018 Option 2: % of 15-39 population within the Universitys region who are Mori/Pasifika by 2018 Target chosen (option 5) For the university sector For Mori and Pasifika The % of EFTS provided by the university sub-sector should be at least on par with the % of national 15-39 population who are Mori/Pasifika At Level 1-7, Level 8+ and for All EFTS By 2018

Slide 22

Example: University sector Qualification completion

Slide 23

Hard wired targets for parity: University Not set at a provider level as with ITPs. Set at the sub-sector level. The University sub-sector as a whole will achieve the participation targets of at least 16.8% for Mori and 8.2% for Pasifika by 2018. Course and qualification completion rates to be at least on par with other learners in that university, at all levels, by 2018.

Slide 24

Monitoring the targets Separate monitoring and reporting approach is required. Tracking tool to monitor progress toward the targets, using the latest available published provision data has been developed: o trend data as well as the targets o to provide longer term perspective o as new data becomes available through the SDR each year the tracking tool can be updated and progress toward the targets reviewed o separate reports on Mori and Pasifika participation and achievement o how providers are tracking to parity o narrative on provider approaches and practices which appear most effective and how they relate to change in participation and achievement.

Slide 25

Expectations and consequences For performance that is exceeding expectations: fewer terms and conditions funding paid in advance less frequent monitoring eligibility for future funding. For under-performance: increased frequency of contact / monitoring / engagement with the TEO a significant amendment to the TEOs Plan set conditions on funding approved for future Plans suspend funding revoke funding funding recovery consider the TEOs past performance in future funding allocations (including any discretionary funding for which the TEO may apply).

Slide 26

Presentation Why have parity targets? Approach underpinning the targets Issues and intentions Monitoring progress on the targets Discussion: Parity Pasifika perspectives When can parity be a reasonable expectation ?

Slide 27

Parity It is the expectation of TEC that every tertiary education organisation will ensure that Maori and Pasifika learners participate and achieve at all levels at least on par with other learners The targets cannot be a static number over time, delivery on parity targets Parity and the remaining need to address equality, equity, power - Scott Metcalfe et al. (2007). a number of planning paradoxes.

Slide 28

Conceptual issues in fusing parity, equality and equity -The dominance of an aggregated, system-wide approach -Interrogate whose interests are served by the funding arrangements in education -Assert the interests of the least advantaged. Parity in tertiary education is parity in isolation -Locate the tertiary education challenge within the broader context of Maori and Pasifika economic and social development in New Zealand, and integrate education reform with other essential policy measures.

Slide 29

Parity It is the expectation of TEC that every tertiary education organisation will ensure that Maori and Pasifika learners participate and achieve at all levels at least on par with other learners The targets cannot be a static number over time Delivery on parity targets Parity and the remaining need to address equality, equity, power Change in the tertiary sector is dependent on change in schools

Slide 30

Parity: School performance affects tertiary performance

Slide 31

Parity It is the expectation of TEC that every tertiary education organisation will ensure that Maori and Pasifika learners participate and achieve at all levels at least on par with other learners The targets cannot be a static number over time Delivery on parity targets Parity and the remaining need to address equality, identity, power Change in the tertiary sector is dependent on change in schools Parity to whose ends? Pasifika perspectives

Slide 32

Parity, Pasifika and success

Slide 33

Slide 34

Successful transitions Continued & accelerated performance for Pasifika at all levels Contributing to interagency collaboration Using research & evidence more effectively

Slide 35

Parity It is the expectation of TEC that every tertiary education organisation will ensure that Maori and Pasifika learners participate and achieve at all levels at least on par with other learners The targets cannot be a static number over time Delivery on parity targets Parity and the remaining need to address equality, identity, power Change in the tertiary sector is dependent on change in schools Parity to whose ends? Pasifika perspectives When can parity be a reasonable expectation ?

Slide 36

A rationale based on strategic alignment, economics, and system performance Responding to performance patterns to-date An approach informed by evidence and analysis Targets that are reasonable, fair, simple Shaped by internal engagement and external engagement Tracked through monitoring and a consequences framework In an environment of willingness

Slide 37

Presentation summary Why have parity targets? Approach underpinning the targets Issues and intentions Monitoring progress on the targets Discussion: When can parity be a reasonable expectation?

Slide 38

Acknowledgements Tertiary Education Commission -Frannie Aston, Helen Lomax, Lisale Falema, Annabel Lee and Anne Broadbent -TEC Pasifika Tertiary Working Group -Sina Aiolupotea-Aiono, Linda Aumua, Malakai Koloamatangi, John Kotoisuva, Jannitta Pilisi, Analiese Robertson, and Pale Sauni Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia -Department of Educational Studies -Centre for Policy Studies in Higher Education and Training

Slide 39

Thank you. Kia ora. Faafetai tele lava.