A report setting out sweeping changes to Scotland’s education system is an “urgent call for action”, its author has said.
Former head teacher John Wilson was tasked with identifying priorities for reform by Scottish ministers.
His report, published on Monday, sets out a series of reforms to how Scotland’s schools are funded and operated.
He also says that Scotland rejoining the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) research is “to be commended”.
Scotland opted out of both these programmes in 2010, but Mr Wilson said that national education outcomes should be “calibrated” using data from these and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) programme Scotland is still part of.
He urges the Scottish Government to “consolidate the bodies that have statutory responsibility for the delivery of school education” – with the former head teacher going on to call for new Local Schools Authorities (LSAs) to be set up, which would then take over “all current school education functions undertaken by local authorities”.
Councillors would be appointed to set on new Education Executive Boards (EEBs), which would be set up to “provide strategic oversight of each LSA”.
These bodies would also “collaborate to optimise outcomes for local children and young people”, Mr Wilson’s report said.
He went on to recommend the introduction of a new post of Executive Director of Education in Scotland, saying this could help “optimise the effectiveness of the national education bodies”.
On the “thorny subject” of funding, he said that Scotland should “define what constitutes education spending” – with cash for this to be ringfenced when it is handed down to those running schools.
The report added that “there should be clear tracking and transparency of monies allocated to school education from national government grants, through local authorities and within schools”.
And stressing the need for a “fully co-ordinated and modernised teacher workforce system”, Mr Wilson states that “consideration should be given to offering enhancements” to attract teachers to areas where there are shortages.
“The purpose would be to attract applicants of the appropriate calibre in adequate numbers to teach the projected number of school aged learners in all parts of the country,” his report said.
We’re seizing the opportunity provided by the public service reform agenda to address core issues in our education system
Education Secretary Mairi McAllan stressed she is “clear-eyed about the need for change and for excellence” in Scotland’s schools.
She said: “As well as developing a new curriculum and creating phone-free learning environments across Scotland, we’re seizing the opportunity provided by the public service reform agenda to address core issues in our education system.
“This report provides an invaluable contribution to this process, and I’m grateful to John Wilson and everyone else who took part.”
She said the report would “contribute to a dialogue with councils” with Ms McAllan saying the Scottish Government will give its response to the recommendations “once that process is complete”.
The Education Secretary said: “We are determined to continuously drive improvement in Scottish education – raising standards, empowering schools and reducing variation across council areas and schools.”
But she also stressed “there is a great deal to be proud of already” in Scotland’s schools, adding: “This year’s exam results showed rising attainment across the board in National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers and the second consecutive narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap.
“Recent statistics show the number of young people in work, training or study nine months after leaving school is at a joint record high and record numbers of young people are being accepted into university. This includes a record number from our most deprived backgrounds.”
But Conservative education spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher insisted if ministers follow the recommendations in the report they would “only shuffle responsibilities around and create more bureaucracy, rather than give headteachers the powers they desperately need”.
She said: “The SNP has spent two decades presiding over the decline in Scottish education, and now this damning report exposes just how badly they have failed.”
The Tory MSP added: “Teacher shortages are holding schools back, children with additional support needs are missing out on specialist help, and headteachers still lack proper control over staffing and budgets.”
Scottish Labour education spokesperson Katherine Sangster said: “This report is an admission of failure of the 20-year record of the SNP on education.”
She added: “Scottish Labour welcomes that the Scottish Government has acknowledged the need for significant reform in education, the declining performance of Scottish education and the need for much better data in the system.
“We must recognise that Scotland’s issues in education are curricular.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat children and young people spokesperson, Duncan Dunlop, said his party would be “looking very closely at these proposals”.
However, he said: “This is all coming too late in the day from a Government that once said education was their defining mission. Instead, it has become their defining failure.”