For Every Child – Fully Fund State Schools
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128, 25 August 2023, page no.9
On Wednesday 2 August, the QTU President Cresta Richardson and Deputy General Secretary Brendan Crotty joined a delegation of Queensland state school principals and teachers at the launch of “For Every Child – Fully Fund State Schools”.
The campaign, coordinated by the Australian Education Union, aims to finally see state schools achieve 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard (SRS) as defined in the Gonski report handed down in 2012.
The Albanese federal government has committed to a pathway for all schools to reach 100 per cent, however we must ensure that this occurs as soon as possible. The current bilateral schools funding agreement expires at the end of 2023, and the federal and state governments will enter into negotiations for a replacement later this year.
Why are we still talking about school funding?
Unfortunately, the previous bilateral agreement sold state schools in Queensland short, with only 89 per cent of the SRS achieved by the end of this year. This is in stark contrast to the non-government sector, which has reached 100 per cent SRS or more this year in combined state and federal funding, before other private sources of income (including parent school fee contributions) are taken into account, thanks to an 80 per cent Commonwealth SRS guarantee.
The key asks of the campaign include the following:
Fully funded by 2028: The Albanese government must negotiate new bilateral school funding agreements with each state and territory government in the next 12 months that ensure all state schools are resourced at a minimum of 100 per cent of the SRS by 2028.
A fair share from the federal government: In each bilateral agreement, the Albanese government must commit to the Commonwealth share of the SRS being a minimum of 25 per cent by 2028. This commitment must be legislated.
Spending must be on schooling: The new bilateral agreements must not allow states and territories to continue to count any costs that are unrelated to the provision of school education within their SRS share, such as capital depreciation, regulatory authorities, and early childhood education.
New and upgraded schools: The Albanese government must create a permanent capital works fund for state schools, to provide the states and territories with funding for new and upgraded school facilities. The fund should be at least $350 million annually and increase in line with enrolment growth and rising costs.
After the launch on the lawn in front of Parliament House, Canberra, Queensland delegates met with a range of MPs and Senators to discuss the urgency of finally achieving 100 per cent of the SRS and the opportunities additional funding would create in their school communities, with examples of the types of programs and services that will have the biggest impact.
How can I get involved?
If you would like more information about the campaign or want to sign up as a supporter, click here and talk to your colleagues, family, and friends about why we need to ensure all state schools get their fair share of funding from the next round of agreements.