9:30am – Registration 10:00am – Introduction and Welcome to Country 10:10am – Keynote address The Hon. James Merlino MP, Victorian Deputy Premier & Education Minister will present his government’s vision for the ‘education state’. A Q&A with Maxine McKew, Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne will then follow. 10:40am – Morning tea 10:50am – Equity in Victoria Bernie Shepherd AM, former school principal and a prominent education commentator, shares NTS’s research into the increasing impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on student outcomes in Victoria, the processes driving this phenomenon, and the role of school funding in responding to this change. Maxine McKew will chair a panel discussing the findings of NTS’s research with:     Professor Shelley Mallett – General Manager, Research and Policy, Brotherhood of St Laurence Simon Kent – Deputy Secretary, Department of Education & Training Bronwyn Hinz – Policy Fellow, Mitchell Institute Bernie Shepherd – Co-author, Need to Succeed: Equity, funding & the ‘education state’ 11:45am – A view from the ground Former NSW Premier the Hon. Nathan Rees MP of the Public Education Foundation will chair a discussion between school principals, parents and students on the role school funding can play in improving student outcomes. Panellists include:     Dale Pearce – Principal, Bendigo Senior Secondary College Wayne Richard – Principal, St. Francis Xavier College Sharron Healy – President, Parents Victoria Maggie O’Shea – 2014 graduate, Brunswick Secondary College 12:25pm – What now, what next? The Centre for New Public Education’s Ricky Campbell-Allen will close the Symposium.