ISBN: 0642 458839

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000 to provide an additional $33.3 million based on 2000 prices, over the period 2001-02 to 2002-03 for grants to improve the learning outcomes of educationally disadvantaged students, particularly in the key areas of literacy and numeracy. The increase will be used to fund grants for strategic assistance for government and non government education authorities, and grants to support strategic national literacy and numeracy research and development initiatives.

The funding which will commence in January 2002, will signal the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan agreed to by Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers for Education, to support the achievement of the National Goal `that all students should have attained the skills of numeracy and English literacy such that every student should be numerate, able to read, write, spell and communicate at an appropriate level'.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

The Bill increases appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as follows:

* for the purposes of section 77 Grants for strategic assistance for government schools etc and non-government schools:

- an increase of $ 1,300,000 for the year 2002

- an increase of $ 22,943,000 for the year 2003.

* for the purposes of section 85 Grants for national projects to foster literacy or numeracy:

- an increase of $6,254,000 for the year 2002

- an increase of $3,121,000 for the year 2003.

Clause 1 - Short Title

This clause provides for this Act to be cited as the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Amendment Act 2001.

Clause 2 - Commencement

This clause provides for this Act to commence on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent, except as follows:

a) If this Act commences before the commencement of the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001, items 5 and 6 of Schedule 1 to this Act will not commence on Royal Assent, but immediately after the commencement of the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001, and Part 2 of Schedule 1 to this Act does not commence at all.

b) If the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001 has commenced before the commencement of section 1 of this Act, Part 1 of Schedule 1 to this Act does not commence at all.

Clause 3 - Schedule(s)

This clause provides that each Act that is specified in a Schedule is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned.

Schedule 1 - Increases in grants for targeted assistance

Part 1 - Amendments if the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001 commences after section 1 of this Act

If the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001 has commenced at or before the commencement of section 1 of this Act, this Part does not come into operation (See subsections 2(3) and (4)).

States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000

Item 1 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 2 of the table)

Amends the table in Part 1 of Schedule 8 to provide for additional funding for strategic assistance for the year 2002.

Item 2 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 2 of the table)

Amends the table in Part 1 of Schedule 8 to provide additional funding for grants for strategic assistance for the year 2003.

Item 3 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 4 of the table)

Provides for an increase in the amount appropriated for grants to foster literacy and numeracy for the year 2002.

Item 4 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 4 of the table)

Provides for an increase in the amount appropriated for grants to foster literacy and numeracy for the year 2003.

Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001

Item 5 - Item 3 of Schedule 2

Repeals Item 3 of Schedule 2 to the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001.

Item 6 - Item 4 of Schedule 2

Repeals Item 4 of Schedule 2 to the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001.

Part 2 - Amendments if the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001 commences at or before section 1 of this Act

This Part does not come into operation if the Innovation and Education Legislation Amendment Act 2001 commences after the commencement of section 1 of this Act (see subsection 2(2)).

States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000

Item 7 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 2 of the table)

Amends the table in Part 1 of Schedule 8 to provide for additional funding for strategic assistance for the year 2002.

Item 8 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 2 of the table)

Amends the table in Part 1 of Schedule 8 to provide for additional funding for grants for strategic assistance for the year 2003.

Item 9 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 4 of the table)

Provides for an increase in the amount appropriated for grants to foster literacy and numeracy for the year 2002.

Item 10 - Part 1 of Schedule 8 (column 4 of the table)

Provides for an increase in the amount appropriated for grants to foster literacy and numeracy for the year 2003.