A US expert is to visit Australia to spruik his scheme for greater transparency between schools, a concept the Australian government wants to adopt.
Joel Klein, the New York City Chancellor of Education, will tour Australia in late November at the invitation of federal education minister Julia Gillard.
Ms Gillard said on Sunday she was committed to introducing measures to allow schools to be compared with each other, a move strongly opposed by teachers' unions.
Ms Gillard said Chancellor Klein's visit would add a new dimension to the debate.
"He's pioneered a system of school transparency which lets you compare like schools with like schools," she told the Nine Network.
"It's working in New York, it impressed me when I was there."
The system he had introduced in New York allowed people to monitor what was working in schools to ensure best practices were spread, and to identify and support schools which were struggling, according to Ms Gillard.
Chancellor Klein will meet educators and give a public address during his visit.
Financial firm UBS will meet the costs of his Australian visit.
