Showdown looming over schools website

A showdown is looming between the federal government and teachers over the
publication of information on the nation's more than 10,000 schools that will allow
the creation of so-called league tables.
From Thursday, the My School website will detail - among other things - individual
schools' attendance and retention rates, an index of disadvantage, and results in
national numeracy and literacy tests.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) says those test results were never intended to
be used for school comparisons and will allow media outlets to create potentially
damaging school rankings - known as league tables.
The union has vowed it will not co-operate with the administration of this year's
national tests unless the government acts to prevent the creation of such tables.
However, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Julia Gillard has vowed to
take action to ensure the exams proceeded even if the teachers boycotted the tests.
Ms Gillard acknowledged some people were unhappy with the website, but she said the
most important thing was parents would have access to more information than ever
before on schools' performance.
"My message to Australian parents would be, get on the website and try it for
yourself," she told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.
She said the AEU's decision last week to vote to boycott the national testing was
bad for children, parents and schools.
"National testing makes a difference for children, it gives information to their
parents and it's important so we can keep adding to the My School website," Ms
Gillard said.
"I would obviously urge them (union members) to reconsider their decision."
Ms Gillard says the government will not rule out taking "individual action" to
ensure literacy and numeracy testing goes ahead if union members make good on their
plans.
But when pressed on what that action might be, she refused to elaborate.
"I'm deliberately holding my cards pretty close to my chest and I'll continue to do
so," she said.
"But we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that national testing takes place
this year."
AEU national president Angelo Gavrielatos said the union stood by its decision.
"In the absence of measures to stop the creation of public education league tables,
we will not co-operate with the administration of the tests," he told AAP.
He said there was "overwhelming" research that showed the creation and publication
of league tables was "damaging for education, for students and for school
communities".
Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said the website would highlight
problems at disadvantaged schools but do nothing to solve them.
"The My School website ... will be an expensive white elephant, because without the
principals being given the autonomy they need to effect outcomes of problems in
their schools, the My School website is simply pointing out problems without
providing solutions," Mr Pyne told AAP.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the aim of the website was to help ensure the quality
of education and to make schools the best they can be.
He said parents wanted and deserved more information.
"By giving parents information they deserve, we can build a better education system
and build a stronger economy for the future with greater productivity," Mr Rudd
said.