GPV/KCV supports Victoria’s battle to secure more funding for Victorian government schools
The Victorian Government has rejected the Federal Government’s offer to increase its share of public-school funding from 20 to 22.5 per cent. (This would amount to the loss of millions of dollars for public education in Victoria.)
Few of the reforms recommended in the Gonski Report on needs-based funding for schools (supported by GPV/KCV) have been implemented. The Gonski funding model centred around a Schooling Resource Standard (SRS), a total estimate of how much government funding a school required to meet the educational needs of its students.
Who pays it, and how much, has become a major sticking point between the federal and state governments.
The Commonwealth is pledging to lift its share for public schools from 20 to 22.5 per cent in a new funding deal covering the next decade. It has given states that are yet to sign on, including Victoria, until the end of this month to agree to its offer.
But Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll told the ABC Victoria has rejected the offer.
“So the offer at the moment is essentially 2.5 per cent, take it or leave it,” Mr Carroll said.
“We’ve made very clear that it’s our intention not to accept that offer.
“We want [an extra] 5 per cent from the Commonwealth because that shortfall, 2.5 per cent, is [equal to] about a $300 million shortfall, and that equates to about $1,000 per student.”
View the Gonski Report here:
https://www.education.gov.au/download/1307/review-funding-schooling-final-report-december-2011/1280/document/pdf