By now your guys must be really excited to see another blog entry again about school funding. Unfortunately, things like these actually can have a major impact on Australian Education down the years. We are getting information in a drip feed fashion. Reading the SMH article this morning Revealed: the high-fee private schools to win big under the Gonski 2.0 changes, it certainly did reveal some more information.
Federal funding for some of Sydney and Melbourne’s most prestigious private schools – which charge fees up to $34,000 a year – will soar over the next decade under the Turnbull government’s “Gonski 2.0” changes, while others will have their funding slashed.
The government has committed to funding all non-government schools at 80 per cent of their needs-based funding entitlement.
I think on this point I agree with a lot of people, we need to have a better understanding how the needs-based funding entitlement is calculated and designed. One of the argument by private schools is that if we do not fund them then public schools will have to handle more enrolments. That being said most people who go to the high-end private schools would be very unlikely end up back in the public school system. Certainly, for the private schools charging fees in the range around 30k, there is little argument to further boost the public funding. Public funding for schools needs to be taken into consideration how much fee and revenue the school in question already generating.
Following are example taken from the above mentioned SMH article
High-fee private school winners in Melbourne under Gonski 2.0
Caulfield Grammar School
- SES Score: 117
- Senior school fees: $29,355
- Per student funding 2017: $4658
- Per student funding 2027: $6864
- Total 10-year increase: $34.8 million
Wesley College, Melbourne
- SES Score: 120
- Senior school fees: $29,720
- Per student funding 2017: $3842
- Per student funding 2027: $5282
- Total 10-year increase: $22.1 million
Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Burwood
- SES Score: 115
- Senior school fees: $29,924
- Per student funding 2017: $4872
- Per student funding 2027: $7390
- Total 10-year increase: $17.9 million
Methodist Ladies College, Kew
- SES Score: 123
- Senior school fees: $29,700
- Per student funding 2017: $3148
- Per student funding 2027: $4435
- Total 10-year increase: $13.1 million
Scotch College, Hawthorn
- SES Score: 123
- Senior school fees: $30,528
- Per student funding 2017: $2904
- Per student funding 2027: $4309
- Total 10-year increase: $13.6 million
High-fee private school winners in Sydney under Gonski 2.0
The King’s School, Parramatta
- Current share of Schooling Resource Standard: 77%
- Senior school fees: $34,323
- Per student funding 2017: $4527
- Per student funding 2027: $7278
- Total 10-year increase: $19.3 million
Santa Sabina College, Strathfield
- Current share of Schooling Resource Standard: 69%
- Senior school fees: $21,975
- Per student funding 2017: $5048
- Per student funding 2027: $8148
- Total 10-year increase: $19.1 million
Newington College, Stanmore
- Current share of Schooling Resource Standard: 75%
- Senior school fees: $31,662
- Per student funding 2017: $4178
- Per student funding 2027: $5948
- Total 10-year increase: $18.9 million
Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga
- Current share of Schooling Resource Standard: 78%
- Senior school fees: $30,600
- Per student funding 2017: $2300
- Per student funding 2027: $3228
- Total 10-year increase: $13.1 million
Sydney Church of England Grammar School, North Sydney
- Current share of Schooling Resource Standard: 76%
- Senior school fees: $29,940
- Per student funding 2017: $2029
- Per student funding 2027: $3423
- Total 10-year increase: $11.5 million
One principle from another private school said that they are certainly got used for the fund for swimming pools. How if you already collecting average close to 20k per student in yearly fee and also collecting over 4k per year in public funding per student deserve more than double the increase within next ten years for public funds. I was mostly supportive of reform of school funding previously but seeing more details coming out parts of it is becoming more unfavourable. Progressively over the years in Australia is Public Schools are saddled with students from lower social economic background and corresponding responsibilities. I think we deserve a better look at how the public funding model for private and private schools. The more informaiton being made available for public better the chance we will have a fair debate about this.
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