Queensland Joins Landmark Agreement for Increased Public School Funding

Queensland Joins Agreement for Increased Public School Funding

Queensland has become the latest state to join the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, a landmark deal that will see an extra $2.8 billion in federal funding for public schools in the state over the next decade. This brings the total federal contribution to public school funding to 25%, a significant increase from the previous 20%.

The agreement also requires states to increase their funding of public schools to 75% of the minimum amount recommended by the 2012 Gonski Review. This means that schools will be "fully funded" for the first time in Australian history.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the agreement an "historic day" and said it would "fully fund every public school student in Australia." He emphasized that the funding is tied to real reforms, such as evidence-based teaching practices, phonics and numeracy checks, catch-up tutoring, and more mental health support.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli acknowledged the challenges faced by state schools, particularly in rural and regional areas, and said the additional funding would help address these issues. He also highlighted the need to improve NAPLAN results and teacher retention.

The agreement includes several targets to be achieved by 2030, including increasing the proportion of students finishing high school, lowering the number of students needing additional support in NAPLAN, and increasing student attendance rates.

The Australian Education Union and the Queensland Teachers' Union both welcomed the agreement, calling it a long-awaited victory for public education. They urged the opposition to match the government's funding commitment.

The agreement is expected to support 560,000 public school students in Queensland and bring about an extra $16.5 billion in federal funding to the country's public schools from 2025.