School Network & Programs
The Education Equity Alliance convenes a School Network of Victorian low-SES schools to focus on what matters most for improvement in low-SES contexts, and to pursue change across both schools and the system.
Check out the School Network's 2026 Schedule here.
The EEA also works with individual schools to engage students and teachers in co-design, and as partners in their school improvement efforts for education equity (see our Student & Teacher Champions for Education Equity Program below).
If you would like to discuss further, please contact EEA's Educator Voice Lead, Georgia Campbell, at georgia@equityalliance.com.au
School Network
Further information on the Network can be accessed here.
The Network brings together leaders from across Victorian low-SES school communities with the following objectives:
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To focus on what matters most in low-SES contexts
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To strengthen student and teacher voice & agency for improved equity
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To enhance collaboration and connection both between low-SES schools and between these schools and the education system.
The Network partners with Kerrie Dowsley and Megan Corcoran, two experienced school leaders as School Improvement Critical Friends and with Orange Compass, experts in improving complex systems.
The Network is focused on low-SES schools across Outer Melbourne and rural/regional Victoria. We are looking for school leaders who are passionate about seeing improvement in our schools and education system, who have a deep understanding of their context and a track record of successful implementation of improvement priorities.
Termly Forums
Each term, the Network comes together around shared improvement priorities for education equity.
These Forums are open to all Victorian low-SES schools (ICSEA below 1000) and those providing supports into these schools.
Join our Term 4 Workshop with Dr Simon Breakspear and EEA's School Improvement Coaches.
Date: Thursday 10 September, 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Where: Microsoft Teams
Register here
Catch up on our Term 3 Forum -
Ensuring strong student-teacher relationships
Across low-SES communities, one message comes through consistently: strong student-teacher relationships are a critical lever for equity — yet in these contexts, they're often under considerable strain, and far from guaranteed. We've been doing purposeful work in this space, including with partner organisations, to understand what makes the biggest difference.
Our Term 3 Forum brought this thinking to life. We were joined by the Northern Centre for Excellence in Student Engagement, who shared their brilliant Building Blocks for Engagement, alongside students and teachers doing important work in this space, as we explore what is required to ensure these relationships are in place for all students.
Coaching Support
Receive tailored leadership coaching support for your context
Register here
Coaching from one of EEA's experienced School Improvement Coaches, Kerrie Dowsley and Megan Corocoran, either one-to-one with a school leader or with your school leadership team.
Support to clarify key improvement priorities for equity in your individual school context, building upon your school' s existing SSP and AIP and EEA' s work on improvement priorities for equity.
Tailored support to approaching implementation of improvement priorities, including:
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Establishing a clear narrative for change for the whole community;
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Identifying the next step for improvement;
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Utilising data to enable responsive implementation;
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Enabling an effective school improvement team to guide implementation; and
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Strengthening staff culture and buy-in.
Student & Teacher Champions for Education Equity Program
This program supports schools to activate genuine voice & agency of Student and Teacher Champions to identify what matters most for education equity in their school community. The Champions then work together to co-design school improvement priorities aligned to the school's existing Strategic and Annual Improvement Plans.
The school identifies two groups:
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Student Champions - 10-15 students from across student leadership and priority cohorts
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Staff Champions - 5-10 staff from across School Leadership, Wellbeing & Behaviour, and Teaching Staff (especially those passionate about equity)
The EEA facilitates the following activities:
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Student Champions Intro Session (2 hours) - building an understanding of education equity and identifying a set of key barriers and opportunities
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Staff Champions Intro Session (1 hours) - education equity definition, data and research; contributing to the set of barriers and opportunities
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Co-Design Workshop (2 hours) - Student and Staff Champions work together to identify school improvement actions, evidence of impact and activities to address the barriers to equity.
An overview of the program can be accessed here.
Supporting Resources
The following documents underpin the Education Equity Alliance's work.
The Alliance's Ethics Statement sets out its guidelines for its ethical and responsible engagement with young people. This includes both the benefits of engagement, risk mitigation, and how student contributions are used appropriately.
The Alliance's Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Code of Conduct covers how the Alliance meets its legal and ethical obligations to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the students it works with.
The Alliance's Reading Guide sets out the key literature and research that underpin its approach towards both equity and system-change.