AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR THE DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS
Press Release 755
Where do Indigenous Children go to School?
WHERE DO INDIGENOUS CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL?
With help from Chris Ho and Garry Richards Chris Bonner has taken a close look at this.
The columns show the percentage of Indigenous students in different ICSEA groups of schools.
The arrows show their changing share of the most advantaged (red) and disadvantaged (black) students.
The lowest ICSEA government schools have large Indigenous enrolments AND an increasing share of the most disadvantaged. Higher ICSEA schools also enrol Indigenous students BUT their share of the disadvantaged in general is falling.
The enrolment of Indigenous students is resembling the way we slice and dice all students: the advantaged are going to higher ICSEA schools...the strugglers increasingly in a class of their own...strugglers. This doesn't close any gaps! Something to remember next time a sector boasts about their enrolment of Indigenous kids. Their little blow for "equity" is just another part of the problem!
