Queensland’s School Funding Falls Short Compared to Other States
Findings reveal Queensland invests less in public education, prompting federal funding agreement with new conditions.
Queensland public school students are receiving significantly less funding than their peers in other states, with recent data indicating that the investment per student ranks second-lowest in Australia, only ahead of Victoria.
In 2023, state school students in Queensland received an average of $18,440 in funding from both state and federal governments, contrasted with a national average of $18,669, according to the National Report on Schooling in Australia.
The Queensland government's direct contribution amounted to $14,355 per student, which is lower than all other states and territories except for Victoria.
When additional funding from fees and contributions is factored in, the average funding for Queensland state school students rises to $19,269.
In terms of Catholic school funding, Queensland students received a total of $15,827 in government funding, which, when combined with other income sources, totaled $21,789 per student.
Independent school students in Queensland were allocated $14,232 from government funding, with additional income flowing in to raise the total to $24,942 per student on average.
In response to the funding disparities, the federal government has committed to investing an extra $2.8 billion over the next decade in Queensland's schools as part of a newly negotiated funding agreement.
This agreement followed a prolonged 19-month standoff over funding levels, during which Queensland, alongside several other states, sought a higher share of educational funding.
The federal Education Minister, Jason Clare, had previously offered to fund state schools at 22.5 percent of the Schooling Resource Standard set out in the 2011 Gonski report, which measures educational funding adequacy.
However, Queensland, along with Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, negotiated for a rate of 25 percent, with Queensland being the last state to finalize the agreement.
Queensland officials have acknowledged a long-standing underinvestment in public education, with Premier David Crisafulli stating that this funding agreement represented a vital opportunity for state schools.
The new funding will be linked to specific initiatives, including early phonics and numeracy checks for Year 1 students, and strategies aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of teachers while also reducing their workloads.
The agreement also sets targets for increasing the number of students obtaining Year 12 certificates by 2030, as well as improving proficiency levels in reading and numeracy by 10 percent.
The Queensland Teachers Union and the Australian Education Union have expressed support for the funding deal, emphasizing the need to address ongoing challenges such as teacher shortages, occupational safety, and workload management in upcoming negotiations for teacher wage agreements.
In 2023, state school students in Queensland received an average of $18,440 in funding from both state and federal governments, contrasted with a national average of $18,669, according to the National Report on Schooling in Australia.
The Queensland government's direct contribution amounted to $14,355 per student, which is lower than all other states and territories except for Victoria.
When additional funding from fees and contributions is factored in, the average funding for Queensland state school students rises to $19,269.
In terms of Catholic school funding, Queensland students received a total of $15,827 in government funding, which, when combined with other income sources, totaled $21,789 per student.
Independent school students in Queensland were allocated $14,232 from government funding, with additional income flowing in to raise the total to $24,942 per student on average.
In response to the funding disparities, the federal government has committed to investing an extra $2.8 billion over the next decade in Queensland's schools as part of a newly negotiated funding agreement.
This agreement followed a prolonged 19-month standoff over funding levels, during which Queensland, alongside several other states, sought a higher share of educational funding.
The federal Education Minister, Jason Clare, had previously offered to fund state schools at 22.5 percent of the Schooling Resource Standard set out in the 2011 Gonski report, which measures educational funding adequacy.
However, Queensland, along with Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, negotiated for a rate of 25 percent, with Queensland being the last state to finalize the agreement.
Queensland officials have acknowledged a long-standing underinvestment in public education, with Premier David Crisafulli stating that this funding agreement represented a vital opportunity for state schools.
The new funding will be linked to specific initiatives, including early phonics and numeracy checks for Year 1 students, and strategies aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of teachers while also reducing their workloads.
The agreement also sets targets for increasing the number of students obtaining Year 12 certificates by 2030, as well as improving proficiency levels in reading and numeracy by 10 percent.
The Queensland Teachers Union and the Australian Education Union have expressed support for the funding deal, emphasizing the need to address ongoing challenges such as teacher shortages, occupational safety, and workload management in upcoming negotiations for teacher wage agreements.
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