Today the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education officially launched National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008 by announcing a $40 million literacy and numeracy initiative.
The Rudd Government will invest $40.2 million in 29 literacy and numeracy pilot projects in schools across Australia.
These pilots will trial or expand initiatives that exemplify strategies to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for those students most in need of support, in government and non-government schools.
Pilots were selected because they focus on reforms that will deliver sustained improvements in literacy and numeracy for students, particularly for low SES, Indigenous or disadvantaged students.
Government, Independent and Catholic education authorities were invited to submit proposals for pilot programs by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs in June 2008.
This funding is available from 2008 and will support pilots for up to two years and negotiations with successful education authorities will be finalised this month.
Getting the basics right at school is fundamental to helping all Australian students reach their full potential.
These pilot programs will guide literacy and numeracy reform by developing and sharing an evidence-base of what works.
National Literacy and Numeracy Week is an Australian Government initiative that runs from 1-7 September which aims to raise community awareness of the importance of developing effective literacy and numeracy skills for all Australians.
For further information about National Literacy and Numeracy Week activities visit: www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au
The full list of National Literacy and Numeracy pilot programs is at: www.deewr.gov.au/literacyandnumeracy