An initiative to give West Australian public schools greater autonomy has been slammed by a parliamentary committee for creating a two-tier system that exacerbates inequality and does not improve student outcomes.

The independent public schools (IPS) policy began in 2010 and 445 schools have since been accepted under the scheme, encompassing 70 per cent of public school students and teachers in the state.

A review of the policy was undertaken by the Education and Health Standing Committee after concerns were raised by parents and teachers about how it impacted students, particularly those with special needs.

"The IPS initiative has exacerbated existing inequalities in the public education system, both perceived and actual, reinforcing a 'two‐tiered system'," the committee found in its report.

This meant that "more capable schools receive more benefits, and less capable schools fall further behind. Remote and hard-to-staff schools are particularly disadvantaged as a result".

It found that while IPS schools "benefitted by being able to recruit the best teachers" this came at the expense of non-IPS schools, which were then forced to accept teachers rejected by independent schools "who are less suitable for the school environment and have less experience".

Principals of IPS schools are given more targeted professional training opportunities than others, but the administrative burden imposed means they have less time for leadership responsibilities, the report said.

"The resultant effect is that high‐performing schools will continue to improve while lower-performing schools become residualised," the report found.

It also found there was insufficient independent oversight of the system, since IPS schools were expected to assess and monitor themselves.

No improvement in student outcomes

However, no link was found between being an IPS and student outcomes, although that should have been the primary focus of the initiative.

"It's also too early to tell whether the IPS initiative has created the conditions which will lead to improved student outcomes in the future," the report found.

It said "while the DoE (Department of Education) acknowledges that teacher quality is paramount in improving student outcomes, it is not clear to the committee how the IPS initiative directly promotes improved teacher quality.

Mr Collier says IPS is not about improving student outcomes. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

"This ought to be the primary focus of future educational reforms."

It found it was unsustainable for some schools to remain outside the IPS system because they would then be expected to take all teachers rejected by IPS schools.

There was also the possibility of difficult to teach students being lumped together at socioeconomically disadvantaged schools not part of the IPS scheme.

But Education Minister Peter Collier said IPS was not aimed at improving student outcomes, and the committee "simply didn't do their homework".

"First of all the primary focus, in a general sense, was not to improve student outcomes. That will occur as a result of the process," he told the ABC.

"What we're dealing with in IPS is we're providing principals with the opportunity to select staff.

"And then you'll find with that improvement in teacher quality there'll be an improvement in student standards."

Earlier this year Education Department director-general Sharyn O'Neill said parents were happier with independent public schools because they allowed schools to make decisions and customise educational programs.

In 2011 the auditor-general raised concerns the IPS plan could lead to a two-tier education system and urged the Education Department to take action.

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