The Federal Government has introduced amendments to the Australian Education Bill 2012 before Parliament, which it says will enshrine a ‘new, fairer school funding system’.

The amendments detail the Federal Government’s National Plan for Improvement reforms, and includes a School Resource Standard (SRS) funding model based on the Gonski review recommendations.

“Together with the extra $14.5 billion we want to see invested in schools over the next six years, the legislation will lock in fairness, school improvement reforms, and yearly increases in funding for the long term,” Minister for School Education Peter Garrett said.

The amendments include:

  • Detail the Commonwealth’s new funding model for all Australian schools, including the per student amount, loading amounts for disadvantaged schools and students, and capacity to contribute settings for non-government schools.
  • Lock in Commonwealth schools funding growth of 4.7 per cent
  • Detail the transition arrangements for schools currently above, at, and below their SRS funding amount
  • Set out the requirements for participating schools to implement the reforms within National Plan for School Improvement, for example the development of annual school improvement plans.
  • Enshrine the commitment to greater transparency and accountability as part of the national plan, including the publication of more information about school funding and results.

“Under the legislation school sectors participating in the National Plan for School Improvement will be required to introduce their own needs-based funding approach, using the same loading categories as the Commonwealth’s model. They must also commit to our school improvement goals, and develop detailed implementation plans setting out how the reforms will be introduced,” Mr Garrett said.

More information about the Australian Education Bill is available at www.betterschools.gov.au