Decile lift makes no sense to Kaeo

PAPER: Kaeo Primary School principal Paul Barker with the pile of paperwork needed for a review of his school's new decile rating. PHOTO / PETER DE GRAAF

A Northland principal says a new decile rating which will slash almost $40,000 from his school budget makes no sense.

Kaeo Primary is one of many schools planning to appeal decile changes that will leave them thousands of dollars out of pocket. Principal Paul Barker said his school's jump from decile 1, the lowest rating, to decile 2 will cost the school $38,698 - 13 per cent of its total budget. The only expense he can cut is teacher aides for special needs children and extra assistance programmes.

All schools in New Zealand are given a decile rating from 1 to 10. The rating is based on Census data about average income, unemployment and other socio-economic factors in the school's catchment area. Decile 1 means the school is located among the poorest 10 per cent of New Zealanders; decile 10 means it is in the richest 10 per cent.

Lower-decile schools get extra funding to help level the educational playing field and because their communities are less able to raise extra money. Contrary to popular belief, decile ratings are not related to educational quality.

Mr Barker said the school's higher decile rating was clearly not right. There had been no "Kaeo Palms" subdivision and the town's biggest employer, Sanford, had closed. If anything, Kaeo families were worse off now than at the last Census.

He was working on an appeal and questioned why no one at the Ministry of Education had queried the figures or their impact on a small rural school.

The ministry's Graham Stoop said the changes would be phased in over 18 months for schools that had lost funding. Decile ratings were not perfect but they were the best tool the ministry had for making sure schools in greatest need got extra resources. A school's decile rating could change due to a change in the mixture of students, in the community the children come from, or the school community's position relative to other schools.

Northland's biggest losers in the decile rating changes are Tangiteroria and Arapohue schools, both in the Kaipara, which have shot four places up the scale to decile 9 and 7, respectively. Bay of Islands International Academy (formerly Te Tii School) has leapt three places while Purua and Pukemiro schools have gone up two. Most are expected to appeal. Other schools considering appealing are Bay of Islands College and Kawakawa Primary, which have gone from decile 1 to 2.

Bay of Islands International Academy principal Sean McDermott said his school had no immediate plans to appeal but it would be discussed by the board of trustees. The decile change was a "fair enough" reflection of changes in the school community, he said

Schools which will enjoy a funding boost thanks to the changes include Maungakaramea School (down four places to decile 5) plus Kerikeri Primary and Opua schools (down two places to decile 5). Other schools to slide two places are Otamatea High, Pouto, Ruawai and Waiharara schools. Surprisingly, Whangaroa College, which is next door to Kaeo Primary, has dropped from decile 2 to 1.

Opua School principal Simon McGowan said the change would bring an extra $5000 a year.

"Every little bit helps, but it is only a small amount compared to the stress on our small budget, and the large number of hopes and aspirations we can't fulfil." Schools at the lowest step of decile 1 get an extra $905 per pupil per year.