Schools challenge new decile ratings

Kaeo Primary School principal Paul Barker has previously stated the school would appeal its jump from decile 1 to 2, as it was "clearly not right".

More than 20 Northland schools are challenging their new decile ratings announced by the Government in November.

Data released to the Northern Advocate reveals 22 of the region's 145 schools have applied for their new decile to be reassessed by the Ministry of Education.

Fifty-seven Northland schools had their ratings reduced, while 30 were increased. The rest remained the same.

Decile 1 schools are given more government funding, while decile 10 schools have fewer students from low socio-economic communities so receive less funding.

Principal Megan Tebbutt of Tangiteroria School challenged the review and said she didn't feel the jump from 5 to 9 reflected the community.

"We've applied for a review because of the amount of change that has happened," she said. "It is very unusual to go up four decile ratings.

"If we had had major economic change in the community, a whole lot of subdivisions going on and whatever, we could accept that, but nothing has changed from five years ago. We still have the same families in the school."

Decile ratings are calculated by using student address information, combined with Census data for small geographical areas.

Ms Tebbutt wasn't surprised several other Northland schools had applied for reviews. "I think every school should apply for a review if they're not happy.

"[The decile changes] are data driven. Unless [the ministry] go and visit the schools, how can they know the real impact on a community?"

Kaeo Primary School principal Paul Barker has previously stated the school would appeal its jump from decile 1 to 2, as it was "clearly not right".

The decile change would reduce the school's budget by $38,698 (13 per cent), while the only saving he could make would be cutting teacher aides for special needs children and extra assistance programmes.

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 time of the previous Census, Mr Barker said.

The last time ratings were reviewed was after the Census in 2006.

As of April 29, 154 schools nationwide had lodged review applications with the Ministry of Education.