The current impasse between Australian governments on school funding is dishearteningly familiar and prompts a reminder from the principals’ desks to remember the mission. Beyond the political maneuvering lies a fundamental truth: Australia's commitment to equity and excellence in education for all children is intrinsically linked to the adequate and equitable funding of all schools.
This commitment is not a vague aspiration but a clearly articulated goal enshrined in key policy documents. The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, signed by all Australian Education Ministers in 2019, explicitly states the ambition to "ensure that all students have access to high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances". Similarly, the Australian Education Act 2014 underscores the importance of providing "needs-based funding" to ensure that all schools have the resources they need to support the learning of every child.
The reality, however, falls short of these aspirations. The public school system, entrusted with educating most of Australia's most vulnerable children, is grappling with the consequences of chronic underfunding. Consider this: almost 82% of Indigenous students, 76% of students with disabilities, and the majority of the 1.2 million children living in poverty attend public schools (ABS, 2024; Cobbold, 2021; Smith Family). These students, often facing significant barriers to learning, are disproportionately reliant on a system struggling to meet their needs.
This is not a question of resource scarcity. Australia has the means to adequately fund its public education system. We can commit to $345 billion for a submarine program on the never-never without bi-partisan hesitation; we’d be an education world power by 2030 with a fraction of that commitment to the kids that are on the playgrounds of Australia right now.
The current standoff, characterised by ministers from the same team staring each other down through the media, reflects a crisis of political will and a treasury-driven deflection of responsibility rather than a lack of resources. To date, the commonwealth government has offered a 2.5% increase toward meeting the 5% gap in the minimum Schooling Resource Standard (SRS), though they could afford more. On the other hand, the states have offered tangibly little to the negotiation, despite their constitutional responsibility for public schools and the less publicised fact of their own significant subsidies to non-government schools. Playground arbitration comes to mind: both sides share responsibility for the resolution. The federal coalition is predictably at odds with both positions. They argue against greater investment, favouring a marketised education system and a greater focus on teacher quality, even though there is scant evidence either work for equitable excellence.
It’s hard to see the Federal Government increasing its SRS share without some contribution to the negotiation from the larger eastern states. This might prove especially true with the opposition prosecuting a line that the Albanese government is ‘weak’ coming into federal election season later this year. Maybe the treasurers are horsetrading deals across portfolios, and equity and excellence in education may or may not emerge as a priority under cost of living pressure for voters. In any case, decades of reviews and policy adjustments, often well-intentioned, have failed to address the fundamental issue of equitable funding. The Gonski Review, for instance, provided a clear roadmap for needs-based funding almost fifteen years ago, yet its recommendations remain largely unimplemented.
The current debate completely passes over the now baked-in notion of "choice" and the perceived need to fund private schools at record levels to maintain a diverse educational landscape. However, this emphasis on individual choice has come at a cost. It has fuelled segregation and inequality, creating a stratified system where access to quality education is increasingly determined by postcode and socioeconomic background.
This is not to say that non-government schools have no place in the Australian education system. Rather, it is a call to recognise that prioritising individual "choice" at the expense of equitable school funding undermines the foundation of a just and equitable society. Especially when that choice is heavily subsidised by public funds without the same obligation and accountability that public schools operate under.
No other reputable education system in the OECD allows a publicly funded non-government sector to charge whatever it likes and discriminate who gets to attend, while an adjacent underfunded government sector has strict fee regulation and is required to find a place for everyone. It doesn’t pass the pub test. A new ‘schools accord’ is needed, involving a fair and equitable funding and regulatory framework for all schools that accept public money.
While we hope the eastern states and the commonwealth will work out how to split the 5% gap in SRS over ten years, we stand once again at a crossroads. We can continue down the path of political impotence with increasing concentration of disadvantage in some schools, or we can choose to prioritise the public good, recognising that investing in a robust and equitable education system is not just a moral imperative but a social and economic necessity.
We need courageous leadership that prioritises the needs of all Australian children, regardless of their background or circumstance. We need action on the principles of equity and excellence that underpin our education system. Fingers crossed for a deal by the end of September….
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