Transfer rating changes

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 8, 2 November 2022, page no. 6

Dozens of schools in the south of the state are to see their transfer ratings increase in recognition of their complexity.
For some years now, the QTU and the Department of Education have been working on a comprehensive review of school transfer ratings, but we have not been able to agree on a model that works for the wide range of schools we have in Queensland.  Although this work has not achieved a successful outcome to date, the new certified agreement will provide for the review to continue in 2023-24.
During the past year, however, the QTU and the department have finally been able to agree that some schools that have been 1-point schools since the 1990s will move to 2 points in 2023, to recognise what could be loosely described as their “school complexity”.
In the past, some 1-point schools in the Beenleigh and Deception Bay areas moved to 2 points by lodging submissions and including evidence. What has never been clear is what evidence was required and what the evidence benchmarks were to achieve a change to a 2-point rating.
While no data set provides a perfect picture of school complexity, the QTU and the department have agreed to use ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) and IRSED (Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage) data for this model. The table (right) shows that for 1-point schools to achieve a change to 2-points, they must have a combined ICSEA/IRSED score of 7 or more. 
Some members may not agree with the model, but prior to this change the QTU and the department could not outline to members in 1-point schools what school complexity evidence was required to achieve a 2-point rating. This transparency has now been achieved, notwithstanding that some schools which have missed out on a change may have a view that their school complexity has not been recognised.
Approximately 80 schools will see a change in their rating from 2023. These schools are largely but not exclusively in Moreton Bay, Logan, Ipswich, and Darling Downs.
The QTU hopes to use this model in the 2023-24 comprehensive review to recognise school complexity for 2-point and other schools throughout the state.