Phased implementation of the new
Resource Allocation Model (RAM) –
new ways of working with schools
Environmental & Zoo Centres Principals’ Conference
8 October 2013
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
Effective implementation of RAM requires a
phased approach
• In 2014 all schools will receive funding from the four Equity
Loadings and the Targeted (individual students) components.
• This strategy provides a transition pathway that
accommodates schools’ current operating environment while
delivering significant benefits to the majority of schools.
• The first year of phased implementation represents a
significant step in the delivery of a new needs based funding
model.
• The 229 schools participating in the Empowering Local
Schools National Partnership (ELS NP) will be the only schools
to receive their 2014 funding as a total school allocation and
be operating within some aspects of LMBR.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
Operating Environment
Current
Future
Financial
Cash accounting, cash
allocation, school bank account.
Accrual accounting, budget allocation,
part of a single banking system.
Systems
Oasis and OMSEE staff
entitlement
LMBR integrated payroll/HR/Finance
(interim HR interface)
Staffing
Staffing agreement
Award negotiation
Staff entitlement
New staffing agreement
New award negotiation
Choosing the mix of staff guidelines
Staff Costing
School funded staff outside staff
entitlement - actual cost
Staff funded within staffing or operational
resources will be charged at standard cost
including 19.5% on-costs. All casual staff and
those funded by school and community
sourced revenue will be charged at actual cost
+ 19.5% on-costs.
Leave
Management
Short term casual relief through
globals. Some supplementation
has been made available to
schools.
Some types of leave, including LSL, jury,
parental, military and special leave will incur
no cost to schools. A shared risk model is
being developed to protect schools from low
occurrence, high impact leave events.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU 4
RAM Target individual students component
• Many students face unique and profound challenges that require
personalised and customised support.
• Dedicated responses are required to support students in whatever settings
the students are enrolled.
• Resources in this component target individual students
• “Funding follows the student”
Element
To be implemented for all schools
in 2014
Targeted
(individual
students)
Funding for students that require high
• No change to the
or moderate level adjustment for
current funding
disability, New Arrivals and Refugees,
formula
and Aboriginal students with high needs • No financial impact at
under the existing Norta Norta program.
the school or system
This includes related staff entitlement at
level in 2014.
standard cost.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
Impact
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
RAM Equity Loadings
• Calculated once as part of planned allocation
• Uses prior year data for current year allocation (e.g. uses 2013 data to
calculate 2014 allocations)
• Changes in student data in the current year will impact funding in the
following year
• In early Term 4, 2013, all schools will receive advice regarding their Equity
loadings for Aboriginal and Socio-economic background
Equity Loading
Source data for 2014 allocations
Low level disability
2013 NAPLAN, 2013 enrolments
English language
proficiency
2013 ESL survey data
Aboriginal
background
2013 enrolments
Socio-economic
background
2013 FOEI and enrolments
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU 6
2014 RAM Equity Loadings Component
Element
To be implemented for all schools in 2014
Aboriginal
background
Funds all Aboriginal students, more than 49,000
students. (in 2013 approx. 24,000 received some
funding).
The higher the percentage of Aboriginal
students and the greater the number of
Aboriginal students in a particular school, the
higher the funding.
The formula is consistent with the
Commonwealth funding model.
All schools will receive at least the same level of
funding they received in 2013.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
2014 RAM Equity Loadings Component
Element
To be implemented for all schools in 2014
Socio-economic
background
Funds all students (more than 390,000) in
the lowest two quarters based on the
Family Education and Occupation index
(FOEI).
Funds students with the highest needs at a
higher rate per student.
Includes funding commitment to 2014 LSES
NP schools.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
Family Occupation and Education index (FOEI)
• The equity loading for socio-economic background will be
determined by the Family Occupation and Education Index (FOEI).
The index is based on the occupation and education status of
each student’s primary carers.
• FOEI uses information on parental level of school education,
highest non-school qualification and occupation category drawn
from administrative data collected on enrolment forms and
recorded in the Enrolment Registration Number (ERN) system.
Data is extracted from ERN in early Term 2 each year.
• FOEI scores range from 0 to approximately 300, with a mean of
100. High FOEI scores indicate higher levels of need, i.e. lower
socio-economic status. The direction of FOEI scores is opposite to
that for the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage
(ICSEA).
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
Why is FOEI the best measure?
FOEI provides the best socio-economic index to fit the new school
resourcing model and the demographics of NSW government
schools.
It is better than other measures such as the PSFP index and ICSEA,
as FOEI:
• is available for all schools
• is based on all students enrolled at each school
• uses direct student background data plus an established process
to deal with missing data
• is updated each year to reflect changes in the school population
• is specific to NSW government schools.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
What happens with SSPs & hospitals schools?
• The FOEI index and FOEI student quarter data for SSPs (except
hospital schools) includes all students attending SSPs (i.e. both
census and non census enrolments).
• SSP schools will receive a low SES loading based on all students
including those that remain enrolled in other schools.
• Hospital schools will not receive any low SES loading under the
RAM.
• Hospital schools do not have permanent enrolments and under
RAM (and existing allocations) receive a specific allocation that
takes into account the changing student population and the
relatively higher student need. Generally the school where the
student is permanently enrolled continues to provide support to
that student whilst they attend the Hospital school.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
How will things be different in 2014?
• It is not anticipated that there will be large changes in
schools’ funding compared with their current global
allocations.
• The biggest change will be the Equity Loadings which are
being delivered in early in Term 4.
• Significant investment in equity funding means schools
have additional resources to support student need.
• Increased flexibilities = new opportunities to work
strategically and differently with schools in the best
interest of students.
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
How will things be different in 2014?
• Aligns with EEC and Zoo Education Centres’ Strategic
Directions 2012-014
• Opportunity to design different models of service delivery
that consider your local context and:
 effective resource management (cost sharing)
 strengthened accountability
 enhanced financial management
 ethical decision making within a culture of local
decision making
 productive networking and community engagement
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
Further information
Visit the Local Schools, Local Decisions in the Reforms
section of the DEC internet site at
http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-thedepartment/our-reforms/local-schools-localdecisions
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU
QUESTIONS
NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITIES
WWW.DEC.NSW.GOV.AU