Introducing the Compact:
Roles and responsibilities
in Victorian Government
School Education
March 2013
Overview
• In 2011 Minister Dixon committed to developing a Compact
between government schools and the Department
• The intent of the Compact: Roles and responsibilities in
Victorian government school education (the Compact) is to
clarify the roles and responsibilities of schools and the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
(‘the Department’), aligned to a set of principles that support the
Government’s school education reform agenda
• The Compact was developed in consultation with key
stakeholders and the Compact - Consultation Draft was
released alongside Towards Victoria as a Learning Community
on 15 November 2012
• Following further consultation in late 2012, the Compact was
revised and released in Term 1, 2013
What is the Compact?
• The Compact supports shared understanding between Victorian
government schools and the Department regarding their respective
roles and responsibilities
• The Compact:
 clarifies existing responsibilities of schools and the Department
 describes existing flexibility available to schools in the management of
resources and operations
 outlines the role of the Department in providing support, resources
and guidance
• It describes the changing relationship between schools and the
Department, in the context of increased autonomy and professional
trust, and aims to empower schools to deliver their core responsibilities
in a way that is targeted and relevant to their local context
• The Compact is not an accountability document, and does not replace
existing accountability documentation
The Purpose - why have a Compact?
• The Compact was developed to support the Government’s vision for
Victorian government school education - that is, a quality education
system underpinned by autonomy, professional trust, and
accountability and support
• The Compact aims to support school communities in this changing
context by:
 providing a concise, easy-to-read overview of the existing roles and
responsibilities of both schools and the Department
 describing the ways in which schools and the Department should work
together to support the learning and development of children and young
people
•
The Compact is a living document and will be updated regularly in
accordance with changing legislation, regulations, government policy
and stakeholder feedback
Discussion Questions
1. How could we use the Compact on an ongoing basis to support
our school improvement journey?
2. Which of the principles outlined in the Compact are real strengths
in our school and which would we like to develop further?
3. Which of the school responsibilities do we consider to be areas of
strength in our school? And what are some examples of what this
looks like in practice?
4. Are there any school responsibilities that we are unclear about or
would like to work on further? If so, how might we go about this?
5. Are there any Department responsibilities that we would like to
know more about?