The Department of Education, Skills and Employment is closely monitoring the effect COVID-19 is having on local communities and schools.
The Victorian State Government has issued public health directions to address COVID-19 which set out that school students who cannot attend school in person should participate in remote and flexible learning in affected areas. This will coincide with all of the Census reference period. The 2020 Non-Government Schools Census Requirements have been updated to support this situation. For further information please visit the SchoolsHUB Census help and support page.
The Department wishes to advise the Australian Education Senior Officials Committee and Education Council are currently considering the approach to the 2020 Student Attendance collection. We will provide more information on this collection when available.
Information about the 2020 Non-Government Schools Census to be held on Friday 7 August is now available. Use the links below or visit to the SchoolsHUB Census Help and Support page for more information.
- 2020 Census Requirements
- 2020 Special Circumstances Handbook
- 2020 Census Collection Privacy Notice
- 2020 NCCD Guidelines are on the NCCD portal.
The NCCD Guidelines have been revised for 2020 to incorporate special provisions due to the impact COVID-19 has had on schools’ operations as follows:
- The evidence of adjustments required has been reduced from a minimum of 10 weeks to a minimum of six weeks, in the 12 months preceding the reference date (refer section C.2.1 of the Guidelines).
- The evidence requirements have been revised for specific cohorts of students with disability (refer the new section C.4.1 of the Guidelines):
- Foundation (Year 1 minus 1) year students;
- new enrolments. This may include:
- students who commenced at the school in 2020;
- students transitioning between levels of education, e.g. primary to secondary school, or moving campuses;
- students with newly diagnosed or newly imputed disability; and
- students attending special assistance schools.
For these cohorts, schools will only be required to collect evidence of assessed student needs, adjustments provided and consultation and collaboration with the student and/or parents, guardians or carers, or associates. Evidence of ongoing monitoring and review of adjustments will not be required.
The special provisions apply to the 2020 NCCD collection only. These changed arrangements are not mandatory. They reflect minimum requirements to ensure all eligible students with disability can be included in the 2020 NCCD. To ensure continuity of best practice, data quality and consistency, schools are encouraged to observe the normal NCCD requirements where they have capacity to do so.
The revised Guidelines will be available shortly at Revised 2020 NCCD Guidelines.
From 2020, a new Direct Measure of Income (DMI) of capacity to contribute (CTC) replaces the previous area-based socio-economic status (SES) score measure to determine the CTC for most non-government schools. Schools’ 2020 capacity to contribute (CTC) scores have been determined and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment has provided written advice to approved authorities. View your 2020 CTC scores in the Non-government schools’ 2020 CTC scores table. The table provides information on why a school’s final CTC score may differ from the score as under the Regulation. About the Direct Measure of Income (DMI) The DMI is based on the median income of parents or guardians of students at a non-government school. To support a smooth transition to the new DMI, in 2020 and 2021, schools will have their funding based on either their 2011 Census SES score, their 2016 Census SES score or their DMI score – whichever is the most financially beneficial. The new direct measure will apply to all schools by 2022. For more information about DMI calculations, please read our DMI factsheet. For more information on 2020 capacity to contribute scores, the DMI methodology and the CTC review process is available on the department’s Quality Schools webpage.