Measuring Spatial Distributions of Secondary Education Achievement in Australia

Abstract

Education has long been seen as a crucial factor to the economic wellbeing and achievement of people and localities. Therefore, inequality of educational attainment often precedes inequalities in other aspects of life. Although Australia mandates compulsory secondary education, the outcomes vary nationwide. Concern has been expressed about the gap in educational achievement between rural and urban areas. This study analyses regional inequalities of secondary school education outcomes by examining spatial disparities among smaller spatial units and how factors contributing to secondary school education outcomes perform regionally. The results confirm a rural–urban disparity, reveal disparities within regional capital cities and indicate that some rural areas, especially in Victoria, perform relatively well. Disparities are triggered by socio-economic conditions and by the quantity of resources devoted to school systems. Wealthier areas generally provide better resources.