Other Updates

Census Education Quality Studies
Secretariat for the Strategic Cross-sectoral Data Committee

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Census Education Quality Studies

The first of several planned research papers from the ABS Census Education Quality Study was released in April 2013. This paper (link below) contains an overview of the project, an explanation of the linking methodology used and the initial findings - comparing the quality of the Gold and Bronze probabilistic linkage exercises.

The study has combined government school enrolments data from Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory with the 2011 Census of Population and Housing with a high degree of accuracy. This work has delivered datasets that will enable analysis of the characteristics of students and their families. Importantly, this study has developed the infrastructure and methodology to enable future data integration projects with other education datasets.

The first release can be found at:
Research paper: Assessing the Quality of Linking School Enrolment Records to 2011 Census Data (cat. no. 1351.0.55.041)

Information about the various Census Data Enhancement Projects across the ABS (including the Census Education Quality Studies) is available on the ABS website.

For more information, email education.statistics@abs.gov.au

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Secretariat for the Strategic Cross-sectoral Data Committee

The ABS provides the Secretariat for the Strategic Cross-sectoral Data Committee (SCDC) for Early Childhood, Education and Training.

The SCDC sits in the Standing Council committee structures both for early childhood, education and youth, and for tertiary education and employment. The SCDC has a particular focus on data sharing and data integration including the Transforming Education and Training Information in Australia proposal and supports a major program of statistical development across the education and training sectors, including the development of common data standards, definitions and metadata. Key information about the SCDC, its membership and publications are available on the National Statistical Service website.

The SCDC membership includes senior officials from government education and information agencies. The Committee provides advice to Ministers through the Australian Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Senior Officials Committee (AEEYSOC) and National Senior Officials Committee (NSOC) (through the Data and performance Measurement Principal Committee (DPMPC)).

A consultant has been engaged to undertake the first triennial review of the SCDC as requested by Ministers at the Committee's establishment in 2010.The Review is being conducted in the SCDC's third year of operation as per the original SCDC Terms of Reference. The purpose of the Review is to consider the Committee’s achievement against its stated aim and purpose. The Review will consider the constitution, membership and functioning of the SCDC together with its aim and activities over the period 2010-11 to 2012-13. The Review is to be finalised by 30 June, 2013.

For more information, email scdcsecretariat@abs.gov.au