Solving the education crisis
Australia faces an education crisis that is locking young people into a cycle of disadvantage. One in three Australian school students is falling behind in reading, and the numbers are even worse in rural and disadvantaged communities. As well as impacting our children’s futures, it’s costing the country billions in lost opportunity.*
La Trobe is Leading the National Response
La Trobe is already delivering solutions at scale. Our nation-leading programs are transforming literacy and teacher education in classrooms across the country.
SOLAR Lab
Science of Language and Reading or SOLAR Lab is Australia’s leading program in evidence-based literacy. The program is helping schools to adopt scientific approaches to improve how they teach children to read – with over 12,000 teachers already using this training.
Momentum Schools
The Momentum Schools research project will help Victorian schools implement these proven teaching methods. A select group of “model schools” will set the standard for new teaching practices in Victoria as educators work to meet a government deadline to make the switch to explicit instruction methods.
Nexus program
Nexus is an employment-based teacher training program that helps address the national teacher shortage. The program enables people to transition to teaching from other careers, while gaining practical experience in a school setting. This successful program is already bringing career-ready teachers into high-need schools.
The Australian Centre for Education Impact and Excellence
Building on this success, La Trobe will establish the first Australian Centre for Education Impact and Excellence (ACEIE), a national engine for education reform that will:
- Conduct cutting-edge research on how to improve student outcomes.
- Translate research into classroom-ready tools and teacher training.
- Provide intensive hands-on support for schools that need it most.
With a flagship centre at La Trobe and hubs across Australia, ACEIE will drive national impact with local results. It will support new national standards in literacy and teacher education, and give teachers the tools to succeed.
Let's fulfil their full potential
Australia’s children deserve better. With your support, La Trobe University will help reverse Australia's educational decline and transform our nation's future. Help us establish ACEIE and bring evidence-based education to every Australian classroom.
* Grattan Institute, 2024, The reading guarantee: How to give every child the best chance of success, Grattan Institute.