Appendix 1 - Further guidelines - distance education
Attendance between the start of the school year and ending on Census Day, of distance education students enrolled at a distance education school.
Overview
In respect of the Census, whether a student enrolled as a distance education student at a distance education school is taken to be attending the school depends generally on:
- if the student is complying with the school's requirements about communicating with or contacting the school for the purpose of participating in the program; and
- if the student is completing and returning the assigned work for the program.
This is generally referred to as a full-service being delivered by the distance education school to its enrolled distance education students.
Only distance education students:
- resident in Queensland;
- enrolled full-time;
- undertaking a full service delivery course in distance education; and
- who enrolled at least 11 days before Census Day (or less if the delay was beyond the control of the parent or independent student)
Elaborative comments
An enrolled student must reside in Queensland.
Other indicators of a full-service being delivered by the distance education school to an enrolled distance education student follow:
- the student is receiving lessons and educational support by the school’s teachers;
- the student has commenced, is working on, or has completed lessons and educational activities;
- the student’s work is regularly tracked and assessed by the school’s teachers;
- the student has access to a help facility provided by the school’s teachers;
- regular contact with the student is made by the school’s teachers;
- the school’s teachers regularly monitor the students’ learning achievements; and
- the school keeps a record of any days on which a student is unable to undertake the educational program because of illness, or other reasonable cause.
Retention of documentation
All enrolment, attendance and related documentation used in completing the Census form is to be retained by the school/governing body for a period of five years from Census Day, and in a way that ensures the integrity and security of the data and documents.
Last updated 23 January, 2020