The audit found that DEECD has not provided access to high-quality education for all students. This audit assessed the effectiveness of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development's (DEECD) activities to ensure that Victorians in rural and regional areas have access to a high-quality education and that outcomes for these students are maximised.
This creates unique and complex challenges for government agencies.
In rural Victoria levels of disadvantage are higher and educational aspirations and outcomes are lower than for metropolitan areas. Students in rural Victoria make up 30 per cent of the student population.