Policy
This policy outlines the operation of the Tutor Learning Initiative in Victorian government schools.
Summary
Schools receiving funding under the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) must:
- provide small group learning support to all students across Foundation to Year 12 who are identified as performing significantly below their age-expected standard in literacy and/or numeracy
- provide a tutoring program in each of literacy and numeracy. The programs must include a documented sequence of sessions, designed to support the specific learning gaps of participating students. Schools should consider their tutoring program as part of planning for implementation of the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0) and approach to teaching reading F–2
- plan to provide each identified student with a minimum of 40 hours of timetabled small group learning support per year (in groups of up to 5 students). Note that if a student has been identified as needing additional support in both literacy and numeracy, then the school should plan for the student to be provided 80 hours of small group learning support. Tutoring programs are recommended to provide students with a minimum of 2 sessions per week to maximise learning gains
- measure attainment for each participating student using a standardised assessment tool at the commencement and the conclusion of the year. Students must be assessed for each of the programs in which they are participating (that is, literacy and/or numeracy)
- record and update information about which students are identified for TLI support by checking and adding TLI tags on CASES21
- ensure students' Individual Education Plans (IEP) reflect participation in tutoring (where applicable) (IEPs)
- appoint and record tutors on eduPay using the TLI code: 80026. Note that if tutors are being appointed from the school’s existing staff, their tutoring FTE must be re-coded to the TLI code: 80026 using a General Ledger (GL) override on eduPay. Refer to eduPay General Ledger Overrides (staff login required). For further assistance refer to the eduPay User (staff login required).
Details
TLI provides government and low-fee non-government schools with funding to employ tutors to deliver targeted small group learning support to students who are performing significantly below their age-expected standard in literacy and numeracy.
Research shows that small group tutoring is one of the most effective interventions to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes (Grattan Institute, 2023 ) such that on average, over the course of the year, primary school students show gains of an additional 4 months of learning, with the learning gain in secondary schools being 2 months (Evidence for Learning, ).
Tutoring through TLI is the key Tier 2 intervention used in Victoria’s Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
Tier 2 interventions are part of a whole-school approach to learning intervention, providing support to identified students in addition to the instruction received by all students at Tier 1 (mainstream classroom).
Tutoring is therefore a short-term program designed to address specific literacy or numeracy learning gaps, enabling students to build towards their age-expected level in literacy or numeracy.
The guidance pages provide further information on implementation of TLI in Victorian government schools.
Related policies
- Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
- Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy Support
- Recruitment in Schools
- Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0
- Victoria’s approach to teaching reading F–2
Contact
Schools can direct queries as follows:
- for queries about TLI in your school, contact your school’s education improvement leader (EIL) located in your regional office
- for general queries about the initiative, contact: tutor@education.vic.gov.au
- for queries relating to tutor HR and recruitment, contact the Schools Recruitment on: sr.tutor.recruitment@education.vic.gov.au or 1800 641 943
- for queries regarding funding, contact the School Financial Management Support Unit: schools.finance.support@education.vic.gov.au
- for information regarding VIT teacher registration for tutors, refer to the Victorian Institute of
- for queries about the tutor laptops contact: notebook@education.vic.gov.au
Reviewed 07 February 2025