SOS Australia

There is now a mountain of evidence that increased funding for low income and other disadvantaged students improves student results. The latest evidence comes from a study published in the April issue of the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. It found that legislative reforms in the United States that led to increases in funding in low income school districts resulted in large increases in student achievement. Continue reading “Funding Increases Benefit Low Income Students”

A report released last month by the Queensland Audit Office provides a revealing case study of how policy-related and governance factors can obstruct effective use of school funding. It shows that inadequate central oversight and support measures combined with heavy reliance on school autonomy has hampered effective use of funding in Queensland public schools. Continue reading “Audit Report Identifies Factors Obstructing Effective Use of Funding in Queensland Public Schools”

Bill Shorten has committed Labor to standing “shoulder to shoulder” with the Catholic school system. He promised it $250 million over two years and billions more over a decade. Catholic Education Victoria reciprocated by campaigning on behalf of Labor in the Batman by-election. What a cosy deal! More money for Catholic schools in return for electoral favours!

Labor claims it is merely restoring funding cut from Catholic schools by the Turnbull Government. But, in fact, it is restoring massive over-funding created by the Howard Government’s socio-economic status () funding model which Labor surreptitiously folded into its Gonski funding model. Continue reading “Labor is a Specialist in Special Deals for Private Schools”

New figures show that funding increases for private schools in Victoria far outstripped that for public schools under the Gonski 1.0 funding plan. This was due to bigger increases in Commonwealth funding for private schools and cuts to public school funding by the previous Victorian Government. Funding for public schools was slashed by the Baillieu and Napthine Coalition Governments while a small increase occurred in the first year of the Andrews Labor Government.

The Turnbull Government’s Gonski 2.0 funding plan will ensure that Catholic and Independent schools are funded at or above their resource entitlement while public schools will be vastly under-funded unless the Victorian Government embarks on a major funding effort. Continue reading “Funding Increases for Private Schools in Victoria Have Far Outstripped Those for Public Schools”

This article includes updated figures on the over-funding of elite private schools in Sydney. The article was originally published on John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations blog.

New figures show that the arms race in ostentatious facilities between elite private schools in Sydney is being fuelled by more than $170 million a year in government over-funding. Over-funding frees up private income from hefty fees and donations to finance opulent buildings and facilities in competition with other elite schools. It denies much needed resources for disadvantaged schools facing severe shortages in teaching staff, educational materials and modern classroom buildings. Continue reading “The Arms Race Between Elite Sydney Private Schools is Fuelled by Govt Over-Funding – Update”

New figures show that the arms race in lavish facilities between elite private schools in Sydney is being fuelled by more than $150 million a year in government over-funding. Over-funding frees up private income from hefty fees and donations to finance luxurious buildings and facilities in competition with other elite schools. It denies much needed resources for disadvantaged schools facing severe shortages in teaching staff, educational materials and modern classroom buildings. Continue reading “The Arms Race Between Elite Sydney Private Schools is Fuelled by Govt Over-Funding”

There is an abundance of evidence that money matters in education, especially for disadvantaged students. In the last four months alone, seven new studies were published on school funding and student outcomes. Six showed that increasing funding improves school outcomes and another one showed that school funding cuts reduce student achievement.

These studies complement six others in the preceding 18 months showing that increases in school funding improve student results. Numerous other studies in earlier years produced similar results. The studies provide compelling evidence of the worth of targeting funding increases to meet the learning needs of disadvantaged students. Continue reading “More Compelling Evidence That Increased Funding Improves School Outcomes”

Public schools were the main beneficiaries of the Gonski 1.0 funding plan in NSW. Public schools received a funding increase nearly double that for private schools and which reversed the previous trend of funding cuts to public schools. However, public schools in remain significantly under-funded while private schools are over-funded. The Government must increase its funding effort to ensure that all public schools are adequately resourced and end its over-funding of private schools. Continue reading “NSW Public Schools Benefit Under Gonski 1.0”