Media Release: Morrison Government delivers funding certainty for schools in Bradfield

Independent and Catholic systemic schools in Bradfield now have funding certainty with the Morrison Government delivering an agreement to provide more targeted, needs-based funding through its Quality Schools package.

Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher said the Federal Government had guaranteed choice in education for local parents through its agreement with the Catholic and Independent school sectors.

Mr Fletcher said the Government would transition to a fairer model for determining how non-government schools were funded as part of its response to the National School Resourcing Board’s Review of the socio-economic status (SES) score methodology.

“From 2020, we will use a new direct income measure to determine the capacity of a school community to contribute to their operating costs,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Over the past year I have worked alongside the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay and the Independent schools in the area to advocate for the best outcome out of the Government’s Quality Schools funding package,” Mr Fletcher said.

“Together, we have delivered needs-based funding that recognises the important role that Independent, Catholic systemic and Government schools have in providing choice for parents as to the education they want for their children.”

“This is our system working. We started out with a plan to guarantee needs-based funding in our education system, we heard feedback from industry stakeholders, parents and community and now we have delivered a robust agreement to ensure the Quality Schools package increases funding to all sectors.

The Government is providing record funding over 10 years to all Australian schools with $113.6 billion to State schools, $88.9 billion to Catholic schools and $68.5 billion to Independent schools.

“The Morrison Government is providing record funding for education – record funding for child care, record funding for schools, record funding for higher education.

“Our record funding will be matched by a focus on results. We want to ensure that every student in Bradfield gets the best possible education to realise their potential.”

To support schools during the transition, the Commonwealth Government will also provide $1.2 billion over the next ten years to guarantee choice in education.

“Ensuring we have low fee Catholic and Independent schools providing choice across the nation is a key government priority. This means that schools that need the most support will get the most support.”