Koorie's Keys to Life Richard Fry, Korrie Education Development Officer, Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-op, North Geelong. Larry Kanoa, Korrie Education Development Officer, Ballarat Aboriginal Co-op, Ballarat. Leanne Reynolds, Senior Project Officer, Early Years of Schooling Branch, Department of Education, Melbourne. Glenda Strong, Acting Assistant General Manager. Department of Education, Melbourne. Jane Weston, Acting Manager, Korrie Education Development Unit, Melbourne. Abstract The Koorie 2000 strategy and the Keys To Life Early Literacy Program have been brought together to focus on literacy achievement for Koorie students in the early years of schooling. The Koorie 2000 strategy represents a strategic approach to the delivery of Koorie Education programs in Victoria. It strengthens and formalises the involvement of Koorie people in educational decision making and builds further on the partnership in education between the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI) and the Department of Education (DoE). The Keys To Life Early Literacy Program is a resource for schools that wish to plan for and implement a strategic and comprehensive approach to successful early literacy achievement. This literacy program is based on the recognition that all children should succeed in literacy by the end of their third year of schooling and has four major components: a structured classroom program, additional assistance for those students who need it, parent participation in their children's education and professional development for teachers. Underlying principles for the joint project are: that teachers require knowledge, skills, understanding and values clarification to provide a culturally inclusive curriculum that a review of current literacy classroom practice and teaching approaches will assist in the development of classroom literacy programs that meet Koorie students' learning needs that strengthening of home-school partnerships to develop shared understandings about teaching and learning will enhance learning opportunities for students In this workshop the participants will be introduced to the Koorie 2000 strategy and the Keys To Life Early Literacy Program and information about the ways in which the two projects are working together to improve literacy learning for Koorie students in the early years of schooling. Of particular interest will be the presentation of data from the Early Literacy Research Project that describes the success of the key design elements of the Keys To Life Early Literacy Program. Supporting resources that have been developed to promote home school links, classroom programs and teacher professional development were also shared.

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