Midway between Sydney and Brisbane, the climate is similar to San Diego's. We have a lot of turmoil at home, too, at the state level. The Australian system is state, not district, run. The New South Wales Department of Education determines funding, curriculum and testing. Locally elected councils for each school help principals with daily management.
Fights sometimes erupt between the teachers' union and minister of education.
Australian students aren't motivated as early as American students because grades and exams aren't counted for college entry until the final two years of high school, Hinchey said. He prefers that because he thinks American students face too much pressure to get good grades. The American system could borrow a little more grade standardization from the Australian system to ensure that an A or B in one school or district means the same in another, Hinchey said. He said it also would make a better connection to college because American students think they are A-ranked but aren't really sure until they take college entrance exams. The Australian system, Hinchey said, could borrow the idea of greater funding from America.