Abstract:
Since 1990, the NSW government as part of its Rural Education Plan has embarked on two major initiatives in an attempt to ensure equitable provision of educational services for students isolated from school by geography or other circumstances. These were 1) the Years 11/12 Access Program operating in the secondary departments of small rural schools, and 2) the decentralisation of the distance education system. The authors conducted comprehensive formal evaluations of the two programs on behalf of the NSW Department of School Education. This study outlines some of the results of these studies as well as highlighting major issues which arise from them. For example, the paper will examine the tensions between the need to encourage schools and Distance Education Centres to feel that they have the necessary autonomy and resources to respond in appropriate ways to the unique circumstances of their students, and the need to ensure equitable standards and quality across the system.