§ Baroness Whitakerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What the increased Ethnic Minority and Traveller Educational Achievement Grant will be spent on; and what targets have been set for 2000–01. [HL1345]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant is designed to raise standards for those ethnic minority and traveller pupils at risk of under-achieving and to meet the particular needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language.
We are making available more money than ever before as part of our drive to raise the academic achievements of those ethnic minority groups at risk of under-achieving. For 2000–01, £162.5 million will be available to local education authorities and schools to improve the attainment of ethnic minority, Traveller and refugee pupils—an increase of 7 per cent on the amount available for these purposes in 1999–2000. The formula used to allocate the ethnic minority achievement element of the grant in 2000–01 protected each authority's total grant in 1999–2000, while distributing additional funds on the basis of need.
As a condition of grant, local education authorities are required to submit detailed action plans to the Government for approval. These action plans must set out strategies for raising achievement, include information about the academic performance of ethnic minority pupils, and set targets for raising attainment levels.
177WATo assist in raising the achievement levels of ethnic minority pupils, we have recently published a new document, Removing the barriers. The document sets out a range of measures that have been successful in raising achievement at school level, in a form that is eaily accessible for busy teachers. We are also planning to develop a consultancy service for schools to help them address the needs of children from a minority ethnic background. In addition, we will be disseminating information on good practice through a new website and setting up regional networks to help teachers share knowledge and expertise with each other.