During 2017, the Ministry reviewed its core purpose and agreed on the following statement which provides the motivation for all our work:
“We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes. He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga.”
Statement of intent
“All of our work is designed to deliver equitable and excellent outcomes, contributing to social and cultural participation and well-being, and economic prosperity and growth. We contribute by shaping the education system so it is relevant and reaches all children and students. We then work with others to ensure that every child and student can progress and achieve educational success, and ultimately people have the skills and knowledge they need for work and life. We work collectively with others to achieve these outcomes – they are not something we can achieve alone.”
(Ministry of Education, Statement of Intent 2018–2023, p. 16)
What is an 'outcome'?
An outcome is a change that happens as a result of an activity, action or intervention. When we measure outcomes, we can see the real and tangible differences that can be made to people’s lives.
Evidence shows that quality teaching and leadership is the strongest in-school influence on the learning of mokopuna. Evidence also shows that involving whānau and communities improves outcomes for mokopuna, and we have a role in influencing this. We use an outcomes-focussed approach which puts the needs of mokopuna and whānau at the centre of design, support and delivery of learning support services.
Outcomes reflect what we hope to achieve and help us to know when we have been successful. When the focus is on the mokopuna, it can empower mokopuna to be agents of change for themselves, their whānau and communities. Being outcomes-focussed can support building adult capability, and the ability of whānau, educators and other agencies to collaboratively identify what works, how and why.
Outcomes measurement
Measuring outcomes can help answer questions such as:
- are we making a real difference for mokopuna and their whānau?
- what has changed and what has improved for mokopuna, whānau, educators and the education settings involved?
- how do we know?
Outcomes can be measured to:
- assess the effectiveness of an intervention or approach
- identify effective practices
- identify practices that need improvement
- demonstrate accountability
- gain clarity and consensus about the purpose of the work.
From Strengthening Nonprofits: A Capacity Builder’s Resource Library – Measuring Outcomes
Being outcomes-focussed in practice
When consulting with a group, such as the team around the mokopuna, practitioners can ensure there is agreement and clarity about the goals of interventions, activities and supports.
The outcomes are the changes the team hopes to achieve, and the indicators are the specific, measurable information collected to track whether an outcome has been achieved.
Outcome data
Good outcomes data informs practice and helps us see how well we are using our resources to achieve the desired results. We can also use outcomes data to help improve practices and services, and to help develop organisational priorities that focus on improved outcomes for mokopuna and whānau.
- assess the effectiveness of an intervention or approach
- identify effective practices
- identify practices that need improvement
- demonstrate accountability
- gain clarity and consensus about the purpose of the work.
From Strengthening Nonprofits: A Capacity Builder’s Resource Library – Measuring Outcomes
Outcomes at individual level
At an individual level, practitioners collect and use a wide range of information and data to make shared judgements about progress towards key outcome indicators, such as presence, participation, well-being, learning and achievement. These might include, but are not limited to:
• observations and interviews (including the perspective of the mokopuna and whānau)
• structured and unstructured assessments (such as functional assessments of behaviour and curriculum-based assessment).
Outcomes data across the tiered support model
Outcomes data collected at individual, cluster and national levels gives evidence of the positive impact of the support provided by services and can feed into planning and practice. Practitioners can use rubrics or scaled indicators to measure key outcomes of their work for areas such as:
- mokopuna achievement
- educator perception
- home and school partnerships
- quality of service.
Using an outcome measurement tool (OMT)
Practitioners can use an outcome measure tool (OMT). Complete it with the mokopuna, whānau, educators, and other agencies, whether you are working with individuals or groups
If you involve mokopuna, they are likely to be more motivated, with a higher likelihood of achieving the desired outcomes. For example, you can use the Journey to Tino Rangatiratanga tool to explore the goals and outcomes for Māori mokopuna and whānau.
Outcomes Reporting RTLB – Resource Teacher Learning & Behaviour Online (TKI website)
Ministry Learning Support Outcome Measurement Tool – Confluence this link is restricted access to authorised users.
Clearly agreed goals
Clearly articulated and agreed goals can focus the delivery of interventions and action plans. Clear goals can ensure coherence and continuity across different professionals (such as educators) and different settings (such as home and early learning service, school or Māori medium kura).
Tracking long-term progress
Whether working at a universal or targeted level, practitioners can use an inquiry approach to help individual educators and teams develop the shared goals and outcomes they want to achieve. Agreed indicators are an effective tool for measuring progress and performance. Indicators that focus on small and manageable sets of information will give a sense of the bigger picture.
For example, tools such as the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) in PB4L School-Wide or Well-being@School track measurable change in a system over time. Well-selected indicators can help to maintain focus on key work areas and support strategic solution-focussed decision making, helping to sustain an action plan and support the senior leadership team’s commitment.
