EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2018, the Victorian Department of Education (the Department) established 10 Tech Schools across Victoria using
a highly devolved Tech Schools Model (the Model). The Model will be evaluated for the 20-year life of the Tech
Schools Initiative (Initiative). Deakin University (Deakin) evaluated the progress of the Initiative from mid-2019 to
June 2023 using an agreed evaluation framework (described in Section 1). This is the final report.
The Initiative aims to equip young people with STEM skills for future employment in industry growth sectors. It is
designed to increase student and teacher engagement with STEM capabilities and to link education with Victoria’s
fastest growing, STEM-dominated industries. The Tech Schools achieve these outcomes through development and
delivery of diverse programs, establishing partnerships with schools, industry and the community, and working
closely with their host institutions.
Deakin reported progress against the short- and medium-term outcomes annually from 2019 to 2023. This final
report focuses on: (a) data analyses from July 2022 to June 2023 and compares them against findings from previous
reporting periods; and (b) analysis of new initiatives introduced in 2022.
Over the four-year period, the Evaluation addressed the following Key Evaluation Questions:
- To what extent do the Tech Schools achieve the intended outcomes?
- To what extent (and what ways) have factors other than Tech Schools influenced the intended outcomes?
- What are the observed enablers and barriers for Tech Schools in achieving the intended outcomes?
- What were the unintended outcomes (positive and negative) of the Tech Schools Initiative?
- What would improve the effectiveness, appropriateness and efficiency of the Tech Schools Model?
- To what extent (and why/why not) are Tech Schools valued and used by stakeholders?
See report here
Citation: Hobbs, L., Delaney, S., White, P., Cripps Clark, J., Aranda, G., Marks, G., Ahmad, M., Lai, J., Tytler, R., Campbell, C., Ure, C. (2024). Tech Schools Evaluation Final Report – June 2023. Victorian Government Department of Education.
