Total government funding per student in Queensland private schools adjusted for inflation (“real funding”) increased by over three times that for public schools between 2009 and 2017. Even during the Gonski funding period of 2013-2017 the funding increase for private schools was over double that for public schools.
While the Queensland Government increased current dollar funding of public schools between 2009 and 2017, it cut real funding by $211 (-2.5%) per student. In the Gonski funding period it cut public school funding by $340 (-3.9%) per student. The cuts mean that public schools have fewer human and material resources per student.
As in the case of most other states, the Queensland Government took the opportunity of increased Commonwealth funding for public schools to cut its own real funding of public schools while increasing funding for private schools.
Government funding increases have been badly mis-directed in favouring the more privileged, better-off school sectors and students. About 87% of disadvantaged students in Queensland are in public schools and 89% of disadvantaged schools are public schools.
Continue reading “The Facts About School Funding in Queensland”