Gonski giving to schools

AUGUST 17, 2017: OUR REGION'S government and independent school students are set for, on average, an additional $1149 each by 2021 under the Liberal National Government’s student-centred Gonski funding plan that recently passed Parliament.The new funding is part of a $283.63M funding boost for government and independent schools over the next decade that will see a $270 average increase next year for every student and around $1149 on average extra for each student by 2021.Catholic and non-government systemic schools in Queensland will get an additional $2852.9M under the plan over the next decade that their education authorities will distribute to their schools.We’re delivering a school system that’s entirely focused on students and what they need to be their best.We’re delivering a new funding system that ensures every student gets the resources they need.For the first time, every student will get that support no matter their background or where they live.We’re tying that extra funding to the activities that are proven to improve the quality of our schools.That means more resources for one-on-one time with teachers and new or existing initiatives such as specialist teachers or targeted intervention programs.Our Gonski needs-based funding plan will ensure our schools get their fair share of funding from the Federal Government but it also sets an expectation that the Annastacia Palaszczuk Labor Government will have to properly fund our schools.States and territories will be held to account for whether they deliver at least 75 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard for public schools. At the moment states like Western Australia and Tasmania exceed this benchmark but the Qld Government only provides about 73 per cent.We’ve appointed an independent National School Resourcing Board to ensure the funding model is focused on supporting students and holding governments to account for the money they receive and spend.Our additional funding will start to flow next year, giving schools and communities the certainty they need to plan and to ensure that every student gets the support they need to succeed.Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said schools and students that need the most additional resources will get the biggest funding increases in the fastest time period so that everyone will get their fair share of funding from the Commonwealth.“Along with support from Gonski Review panellists Ken Boston, Kathryn Greiner and David Gonski himself, the Government’s plan has been backed by independent think tanks including The Grattan Institute and The Mitchell Institute as well as schools, families and educators such as former head of the Australian Education Union Dianne Foggo,” Minister Birmingham said.“Bill Shorten and the Labor Party should be ashamed and embarrassed that they voted against extra funding for schools to try to score political points.“Our focus now is building on our teaching quality reforms through the work of a panel of education experts focused entirely on how schools should be using the extra funding we’re delivering.”Further details of the Liberal National Government’s Quality Schools reform package are available at: www.education.gov.au/qualityschools