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Allocation of state education procedure

Version number 4.1 | Version effective 10 January 2020

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Schools and students > Student learning
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Allocation of state education procedure

Audience

All state schools

Purpose

This procedure outlines the responsibilities and processes for the allocation of state education to all students, including additional semesters beyond the basic semester allocation. 

Overview

The Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld) (“the EGPA”) provides that all students enrolled in Queensland state schools are entitled to an allocation of state education. The basic allocation and remaining allocation encompass compulsory schooling and the compulsory participation phase.

Responsibilities

Principals

  • ensure information about allocation of state education is accessible to all students and parents, and provide information to parents on repeating a year of education , if applicable
  • inform parents and students of processes for allocation of state education referring to Information for students/parents – allocation of state education.
  • provide assistance to students and parents to complete written applications when appropriate
  • if satisfied with application, grant an additional one or two semesters

Regional directors

  • if satisfied with application, grant 3rd or 4th additional semesters (note: 3rd and 4th additional semesters can also be granted by other delegates of the Director-General)
  • if satisfied with application, grant 5th or 6th additional semesters
  • review principal’s decision regarding student’s remaining allocation of state education if a submission has been made against a principal’s decision
  • review principal’s decision on additional one or two semesters if a submission has been made against a principal’s decision.

Assistant Director-General, State Schools

  • review decisions by the regional director, or other delegate of the Director-General, regarding 3rd or 4th additional semesters.

Process

Remaining allocation of semesters of state education upon enrolment

  1. Principals calculate the remaining allocation of semesters for students where the basic allocation does not apply e.g. for students who:
  • received schooling at a non-state school
  • received home education under Chapter 9, Part 5 of the EGPA
  • received schooling outside Queensland
  • have had their enrolment stopped in a state school at the request of the student’s parent (if student is a child), or at the request of the student (if student is an adult)
  • are granted an exemption from compulsory schooling under Chapter 9, Part 3 of the EGPA
  • are beginning schooling in Year 1 or later.
  1. Principals consider all relevant matters and the supporting material gathered about the student’s previous education, including:
  • the age, ability, aptitude and development of the student
  • the need to take account and promote continuity of the student’s learning experiences
  • whether the enrolment is compulsory or non-compulsory
  • if the student’s enrolment is non-compulsory – the student’s commitment to complete a course of study
  • whether a state school principal has already made a remaining allocation decision prior to this application for enrolment.
  1. Principals consult the Guidelines for allocation of state education  and make a preliminary calculation of the student’s remaining allocation of semesters of state education within a reasonable time after receiving application for enrolment.
  2. Schools advise the student of the preliminary view of the calculation using Template letter: Notice to student on enrolment - preliminary view on remaining semester allocation and as soon as practicable send a copy of this notice to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so).
  3. Students or parents (applicants) have ten school days to either submit further information or request the principal reconsiders the preliminary view.
  4. Principals make a decision about the student’s remaining allocation of semesters of state education considering any submission(s) received in response to the preliminary view notice.
  5. Principals immediately advise the student of the decision and, within seven days after advising the student of the decision, give the student a written information notice about the decision using Template letter: Notice to student on enrolment – decision on remaining semester allocation, enclose Information for students/parents – reviews against decisions on allocation of semesters of state education, and as soon as practicable send a copy of the notice and information sheet to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so).

Remaining allocation – less than four semesters remaining in Semester 2

  1. Principals advise a student who is enrolled in Semester 2 and who has a remaining allocation that will not be more than four semesters after the end of Semester 2 of that year, of their remaining allocation. The notice may be given using Template letter: Notice to student - remaining semester allocation or included with or on another report or document given to the student or parent (e.g. remaining number of semesters displayed on student report card).

Applying for additional semesters of state education

  1. Students who have been enrolled for their basic allocation of semesters and want to receive additional semesters of state education can apply (or parents can apply on their behalf, if appropriate) to the:
  1. The application must be made more than 12 weeks before the start of the semester, or the first of the semesters, to which the application relates. The decision-maker may allow the due date for applications to be extended.

Granting additional one or two semesters

  1. Principals receive an ASE-1: Application for additional one or two semesters of state education, and:
  • consider the application within a reasonable time, allowing for the need to collect and analyse results of any relevant student assessment
  • consider the supporting material gathered about the student’s previous education
  • consider all relevant matters, including:
    • whether the student is of compulsory school age
    • the likely educational outcome of the student attending the school for the additional semester/s
    • the likely impact on the resources of the state school of the student attending for the additional semester/s
  • make a preliminary assessment of the student’s application.
  1. If the decision is to grant the number of semesters applied for, principals:
  1. If the preliminary view is that the student should not be granted the number of semesters applied for, principals:
  1. Applicants have ten school days to either submit further information or request the principal reconsiders the preliminary view.
  2. Principals make a decision about granting the additional one or two semesters considering any submission(s) received in response to the preliminary view notice.
  3. Principals immediately advise the student of the decision and, within seven days after advising the student of the decision, give the student a written information notice about the decision using Template letter: Notice to student – decision on additional one or two semesters and enclose Information for students/parents – reviews against decisions on allocation of semesters of state education. As soon as practicable, principals send a copy of the notice and information sheet to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so for reasons such as the student is independent).
  4. If the applicant is not satisfied with the decision, they can request that the decision be reviewed.

If a student has been granted one or two additional semesters and then transfers to another state school prior to completing these semesters, the principal of the new school should not change the decision of the previous principal unless there is relevant, credible and significant new information. Changing an allocation decision should only occur in exceptional circumstances.

Granting 3rd or 4th additional semesters

  1. Regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General) receive an ASE-2: Application for additional semesters of state education (beyond two semesters) in relation to 3rd or 4th additional semesters and:
  • consider the application within a reasonable time, allowing for the need to collect and analyse results of any relevant student assessment
  • consider the supporting material gathered about the student’s previous education
  • consider all relevant matters, including:
    • whether the student is of compulsory school age
    • the likely educational outcome of the student attending the school for the additional semester/s
    • the likely impact on the resources of the state school of the student attending for the additional semester/s
  • make a preliminary assessment of the student’s application.
  1. If the decision is to grant the number of semesters applied for, regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General):
  1. If the preliminary view is that the student should not be granted the number of semesters applied for, regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General):
  1. Applicants have ten school days to either submit further information or request the regional director reconsiders the preliminary view.
  2. Regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General) make a decision about granting the additional 3rd or 4th semesters considering any submission(s) received in response to the preliminary view notice.
  3. Regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General) immediately advise the student of the decision and, within seven days after advising the student of the decision, give the student a written information notice about the decision using Template letter: Notice to student – decision on additional 3rd or 4th semesters  and enclose Information for students/parents – reviews against decisions on allocation of semesters of state education. As soon as practicable, regional directors send a copy of the notice and information sheet to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so for reasons such as the student is independent).
  4. Regional directors (or other delegates of the Director-General) provide written notice to the school in which the student is enrolled regarding the decision using Template letter: Advice to principal re application for additional semesters, stating the:
  • name of the student
  • educational level of the student
  • period of extension
  • other information that is considered necessary in the circumstances.
  1. If the applicant is not satisfied with the decision, they can request that the decision be reviewed. 

Granting of 5th or 6th additional semesters

  1. Regional directors receive an ASE-2: Application for additional semesters of state education (beyond two semesters)  in relation to 5th or 6th  additional semesters and:
  • consider the application within a reasonable time, allowing for the need to collect and analyse results of any relevant student assessment
  • consider the supporting material gathered about the student’s previous education
  • consider all relevant matters, including:
    • whether the student is of compulsory school age
    • the likely educational outcome of the student attending the school for the additional semester/s
    • the likely impact on the resources of the state school of the student attending for the additional semester/s
  • make a preliminary assessment of the application.
  1. If the decision is to grant the number of semesters applied for, regional directors:
  1. If the preliminary view is that the student should not be granted the number of semesters applied for, regional directors:
  1. Applicants have ten school days to either submit further information or request the regional director reconsiders the preliminary view.
  2. Regional directors make a decision about granting the additional 5th or 6th semesters considering any submission(s) received in response to the preliminary view notice.
  3. Regional directors immediately advise the student of the decision and, within seven days after advising the student of the decision, give the student a written information notice about the decision using Template letter: Notice to student – decision on additional 5th or 6th semesters . As soon as practicable, regional directors send a copy of the notice to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so).
  4. Provide written notice to the school in which the student is enrolled regarding the decision using Template letter: Advice to principal re application for additional semesters, stating  the:
  • name of the student
  • educational level of the student
  • period of extension
  • other information that the regional director is reasonably satisfied the principal should be aware of in relation to the decision.
  1. If the applicant is not satisfied with the decision, they can request that the decision be reviewed. 

Review of decisions

Review of principal’s decision: Remaining allocation or additional one or two semesters

  1. Students (or their representative) may make a written submission to the regional director against the decision within 30 school days after the information notice of the principal’s decision was given to the student (or later if permitted by the regional director).
  2. Regional directors review the principal’s decision (using the material that led to the principal’s decision and any other material considered relevant) within 40 school days of receiving the submission, and either
  • confirm the principal’s decision, or
  • amend the principal’s decision, or
  • substitute another decision for the principal’s decision.
  1. As soon as practicable after making the review decision, regional directors give the student written notice of the review decision using either Template letter: Notice to student – application for review of principal’s decision on remaining allocation or Template letter: Notice to student – application for review of principal’s decision on additional semesters, and send a copy of the notice to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so) and to the principal.

Review of regional director’s (or other delegate’s of the Director-General) decision: 3rd or 4th additional semesters

  1. Students (or their representative) may make a written submission to the Assistant Director-General, State Schools (ADG SS), against the decision within 30 school days after the information notice about the decision was given to the student (or later if permitted by the ADG SS).
  2. The ADG SS reviews the decision (using the material that led to the decision and any other material considered relevant) within 40 school days after the making of the submission, and either
  • confirms the decision, or
  • amends the original decision, or
  • substitutes another decision for the original decision.
  1. As soon as practicable after making the review decision, the ADG SS gives the student written notice of the review decision using Template letter: Notice to student – application for review of decision by regional director (or other delegate of the director-general) on additional 3rd or 4th semesters of state education.
  2. The ADG SS advises the decision maker of the review decision and sends a copy of the notice to the decision maker and the school principal, and as soon as practicable sends a copy of the notice to the parent (unless it is inappropriate to do so). 

Repeating a year of state education

  1. Principals should refer to the Guidelines for repeating a year level when deciding whether to approve a student to repeat a year level.
  2. If the principal approves the student to repeat a year of education, they then determine the student’s remaining allocation and, as soon as practicable, advise the student of their remaining allocation. The notice may be given using Template letter: Notice to student - remaining semester allocation or be included with or on another report or document given to the student or parent.

Definitions

Term

Definition

Additional semesters

Refers to extra and further semesters of state education. In accordance with the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Qld), a student who does not have any remaining allocation may apply to the principal for no more than two extra semesters of state education (i.e. additional one or two semesters). A student who does not have any remaining allocation and who has been granted two additional semesters of state education may apply to the regional director for no more than four further semesters (i.e. additional 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th semesters).

Basic allocation

The basic allocation of state education is 26 semesters for all students who begin schooling in the Preparatory (Prep) Year before they turn six years and six months. This allocation is irrespective of the student’s prior registration in a pre-Prep program or a special education program prior to the Prep Year.

Compulsory schooling

A child is of compulsory school age if the child is at least six years and six months, and less than 16 years. However, a child is no longer of compulsory school age if they have completed Year 10. Each parent of a child who is of compulsory school age must ensure the child is enrolled at a state school or non-state school; and ensure the child attends the state school or non-state school, on every school day, for the educational program in which the child is enrolled, unless the parent has a reasonable excuse.

Compulsory participation phase

A young person's compulsory participation phase starts when s/he stops being of compulsory school age (i.e. turns 16 or completes Year 10 whichever comes first) and ends when the person:

  • gains a Certificate of Achievement, Senior Statement, Certificate III or Certificate IV, or
  • has participated in eligible options for two years after the person stopped being of compulsory school age, or
  • turns 17.

Decision-maker

A decision-maker, for the purpose of allocation of state education, is the relevant delegate of the Director-General.

Remaining allocation

For a student who received a basic allocation, the remaining allocation is the basic allocation less the number of semesters of state education already provided to the student.

Legislation

Delegations/Authorisations

Other resources

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

2.0 SMS-PR-013: Allocation of State Education

3.0 Allocation of State Education

4.0 Allocation of state education

Review date

17 January 2021
Attribution CC BY

Keywords

entitlement | additional semesters | basic allocation | remaining allocation | repeating a year level | extra semesters | expended 26 semesters
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