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In 1988, the Board is reviewed to identify its main functions in supporting schools. This includes:
Some of the many miscellaneous functions that the ISB has embraced over the years
Future Directions stipulates that the role of the ISB is to act as a unifying voice; to express the shared needs and views of Independent schools, whilst allowing each member school to maintain their independence.
Mr Robert R Leane releases the Future Directions of the Board on 19 March 1987, a 3-page document that discusses 8 important concerns for the Independent sector
The ISB undergoes restructuring to facilitate its registration as an ‘association’ pursuant to the Fair Work Act 1994 (SA).
This move is crucial in allowing the ISB to represent the industrial interests of its members in the South Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
Objects of the Board to support the restructure
Mr Robert R Leane joins the Independent Schools Board of Headmasters and Headmistresses as its first Executive Officer.
The original membership includes 14 schools and grows steadily in the coming years:
Mr Robert R Leane is the foundation Executive Officer and serves the organisation since 1 June 1975
In May 1979, the Independent Schools Board of Headmasters and Headmistresses in South Australia changes its name to the South Australian Independent Schools Board Inc. (ISB for short).
The membership includes all registered non-government schools, with Heads of schools acting as Board representatives. The South Australian Independent Schools Board Inc. offers 3 types of membership, with senior secondary paying more due to their complex needs:
An excerpt from the first ISB newsletter (1979) by the Chairman, Mr GB Bean
This year in June, the Board also moves to its new premises in 33 Unley Road, Parkside
In August 1974, the Independent Schools Board of Headmasters and Headmistresses of South Australia is established; its mission: “to assist Heads of Independent Schools to carry out their common extra-mural responsibilities parallel with the State Education Department and the Catholic Education office.”
The Board is incorporated on 24 July 1975, with Reverend JSC Miller appointed as the first Chair of the Board and Mrs Diana Medlin as his deputy.
The incorporation of the Board occurs in the context of the decision by the Whitlam Government in 1973 to fund government and non-government schools, ensuring both sectors achieved minimum acceptable standards in education. Across the country, similar bodies representing non-government schools were forming – including the National Council of Independent Schools (NCIS), which would later become Independent Schools Australia.
South Australian Independent Schools Board (1975-1978)
The original 14 schools
Relationship diagram
Letter from Mr John McDonald, Director of Catholic Education, proposing a voice for Independent schools (July 1974)
The Council for the Defence of Government Schools (DOGS), a lobby group of teachers and parents, is established in the late 1960s to challenge Commonwealth funding for non-government schools. The case, brought before the High Court in 1980, contests funding for religious schools, claiming it violates section 116 of the Constitution.
In February 1981, the High Court rules in favour of the Commonwealth, determining that funding for religious schools is intended for educational purposes, not “to establish a religion.” Six of seven judges uphold this view, and the plaintiffs are ordered to cover legal costs for the defendants, including the National Council of Independent Schools (NCIS) and Catholic Education.
This landmark decision solidifies the legitimacy of government funding for non-government schools, particularly Independent and religious institutions. It recognises the role of both Commonwealth and State governments in supporting these schools, leading to significant growth in the Independent school sector between 1980 and 1995. The case also creates needs-based financial assistance as a foundation for the expansion of Independent schools.
Commonwealth funding for non-government schools (AISSA General Meeting, 1981)
Taken from the Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Victoria on Education Matters
According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics (1981), 74% ($144 million) of Commonwealth capital allocations goes to government schools and 26% ($51 million) to non-government schools
Mr JP Keeves releases the ‘Keeves Report’, formally known as Education and Change in South Australia. This report plays a significant role in shaping education reform in South Australia during the 1980s and beyond.
The report presents 84 recommendations aimed at addressing the emerging challenges in the education system across South Australia’s three sectors. It focuses on the education system’s ability to adapt to the evolving needs of society to better support students, teachers and communities.
Summary of the 1982 ‘Keeves Report’
The Constitution of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (“The Association”) is reviewed considering its widening membership, leading to the formation of the ISB Primary Heads Association.
The Association’s objectives are to:
(Constitution of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia, March 1984)
Page 3 outlines the rights and obligations of Association members (Constitution of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia, March 1984)
Under the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of SA Act 1983, the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) is established in 1984, replacing the Public Examinations Board of South Australia (1968-1983). The ISB, along with other sectors, is represented on the SSABSA Board.
The Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) is currently known as the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SACE) today (Evolution of SACE timeline taken from the SACE International website)