School principals have teamed up with the teachers’ union to urge the Albanese government to enhance its offer for funding public schools across the country. A coalition comprising the Australian Education Union, key principals’ organizations, and the Australian Council of State School Organisations have penned a letter to the prime minister, emphasizing the need for the federal government to contribute at least 25% of the cost of fair public school funding.
The letter comes in response to the recent deal struck between the Albanese government and Western Australia, which proposed a commonwealth share increase to 22.5% of the school resource standard (SRS) over two years. However, this offer has been met with resistance from other states, which insist on a higher federal contribution of 25%.
Highlighting the urgency of the matter, the letter underscores that no public school in Australia, except those in the Australian Capital Territory, currently receives funding at the SRS level. It calls for agreements that would ensure 100% of the SRS for public schools by 2028, with a minimum Commonwealth contribution of 25%.
Additionally, the letter urges the removal of loopholes in school funding agreements that allow spending unrelated to education costs to count towards public schools’ funding. The coalition emphasizes the importance of providing ongoing national investment to guarantee every child access to a fully funded, high-quality public education.
Signed by representatives from various education sectors, including the AEU and ACSSO, the letter highlights the growing inequality in funding between public and private schools, underscoring the need for immediate action to bridge this gap and ensure equitable outcomes for all students.
