School Specialisation Grants

Round One applications open: Tuesday 13 September 2011

Round One applications close: Monday 24 October 2011

Grant recipients announced: December 2012

Introduction

The Victorian Government is providing $2.5 million over two years for 25 one-off grants to government schools to specialise in a field of their choice; such as languages, maths, science, robotics, multimedia, fashion, design or horticulture.

The Grants will be provided in two rounds. In Round One, twelve grants of $100,000 each will be made to government schools which are ready to commence a specialised initiative in the 2012 school year.  Round Two grants will be made available next year.

The Grants will enable the recipient schools to commence a specialisation or to expand an existing specialisation, for example, through investment in training and skilling of staff or minor capital investments for equipment.  These are one-off grants and therefore not for recurrent expenditure, such as employment of staff.  The Grants may be used in conjunction with co-contributions from other sources and one Grant may be used by more than one school.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is seeking applications from Victorian government schools for Round One Grants, with applications opening on Tuesday 13 September 2011 and closing on Monday 24 October 2011.

These guidelines will assist schools in completing applications.

Purpose of the School Specialisation Grants

The School Specialisation Grants are part of the Government’s commitment to greater diversity and choice in Victoria’s education system, and to allowing schools the freedom to create unique and rewarding school experiences to bring out the creativity, talents and potential of young Victorians.

The Grants will build on the ability of Victoria’s government schools to cater for the diversity of student needs and interests and to realise some of the many benefits of school specialisation, including:

• increasing student engagement by providing relevant and fulfilling educational experiences in an educational environment tailored to specific abilities or needs;
• providing students with more opportunities for learning in greater depth and breadth in a specific area;
• providing students with more intensive learning experiences that require specialist equipment or scarce expertise;
• introducing innovative teaching and learning into schools and the Victorian education system.

The School Specialisation Grants will also inform future investment in specialised education provision in Victoria.

Eligibility

Round One of the School Specialisation Grants is open to all primary and secondary government schools. Schools may apply individually or in collaboration with another or a group of schools.

All applications must be endorsed by the School Council/s.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria are outlined in the attached application form. Each application must address all criteria, within the recommended word limit.

Applications will be assessed on the basis of responses to the selection criteria, as per the process set out below in ‘Application Process’.

DEECD may contact schools to obtain further information in relation to applications, if required.

Application Process

Schools maybe begin submitting Round One applications from Tuesday 13 September 2011, with applications closing on Monday 24 October 2011.

All applications must be made on the Application Form template (attached here) (using Microsoft Word), and adhere to the word limit for each criterion.

Applications must be submitted to specialisation.grants@edumail.vic.gov.au.  Regional Directors will consider applications from their Region and will each select and forward no more than five applications to DEECD Central Office.  A recommendation to the Minister about the awarding of the Grants will be made by a selection panel to be established specifically to assess the applications. The Minister will then make a final decision on which schools will be awarded the Grants.

Applications received after close of business Monday 24 October 2011 will not be considered.

All queries relating to this process should be directed to specialisation.grants@edumail.vic.gov.au or (03) 9947 1819.

Conditions

Funding received by grant recipients will be subject to the following conditions:

• The Grants will be paid to school/s as a grant. Where a grant is awarded to a group of schools, the lead school will receive the funds.
• The recipient/s of each Grant must participate in any evaluation of the initiative as requested by the Department.
• Recipient schools must incorporate initiatives in their Annual Implementation Plan and School Strategic Plan.
• The grant money must be expended within two (2) years of receipt unless otherwise agreed with the Department. Any unused monies must be returned to the Department.
• The Department reserves the right to use all or part of any material, including submissions and photographs, for any publicity campaign related to education in Victoria. Copyright of any materials produced during, or as a result of the Grant is co-owned by the Department.
• The Department reserves the right not to make a Grant.