Australia’s public schools will miss out on $13bn in the next five years if accounting tricks are maintained in upcoming funding agreements, a major report has found.
The National School Resourcing Board’s (NSRB) annual review, tabled in parliament last week, showed government schools lost more than $2bn in 2022 because of a Morrison-era loophole that allows states and territories to claim up to 4% of public school funding on non-school expenditures.
The federal education minister, Jason Clare, has indicated the 4% will not be reviewed until the next round of funding agreements – scheduled for 2030.
Modelling provided to Guardian Australia by the Save our Schools convener, Trevor Cobbold, suggests if Clare’s position remains, public schools will miss out on about $13bn in funding to the end of the decade.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Australia’s public schools will miss out on $13bn in the next five years if accounting tricks are maintained in upcoming funding agreements, a major report has found.
New in-principle agreements reached to “fully” fund public schools in Western Australia and Northern Territory have retained the 4%, causing backlash from the Australian Education Union and the Greens.
“The new in-principle agreements show the Albanese government is prepared to … play a greater role in the funding of public schools,” he said.
The Northern Territory fell exceedingly short – contributing just 56.5% of required funding to its public schools – making it non-compliant for the third year in a row.
The board pointed to mitigating factors, including acute teacher shortages, but expressed concern the territory “may not have the appropriate infrastructure and adequate system oversight” to achieve full funding within “desired timeframes”.
The report showed Western Australia and NSW were already funding public schools at 78% in 2022, which is significantly higher than was required under their agreements with the federal government.
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