Investing in our teachers, investing in our economy

Improving teacher effectiveness would have a greater impact on economic growth than any other reform before Australian governments, this paper argues. The improvement in student learning could lift Australian students to the top of international performance tables. An increase in teacher effectiveness of 10% would lift Australia’s education systems into the highest performing group of countries in the world. A 10% increase in teacher effectiveness improves student performance and, in the longer-term, the productivity of the labour force. The increased productivity of Australian workers would increase long-run economic growth by $90 billion by 2050, making Australians 12% richer by the turn of the century – quite apart from the other benefits to individual well-being and society of better education. This report does not point the finger at teachers. On the contrary, this report argues for improved investments in teacher effectiveness. This will have the greatest benefit for our students and is the most effective method to make Australia’s school education systems the best in the world