Public vs Private School funding

[Not Important]

The Catholic system is going nowhere. Abolishing it or nationalising it is politically and functionally impossible.

And when in 2016 it was proposed that the method (not the quantum) of funding would be changed, the Catholic system went to the mattresses and fought it off.

Australia will see a 20% GST before we see a Catholic system with no government funding.

sadly this is true. doesn't make gov't funding religious indoctrination right tho.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

This action by Minns shows governments are barely even trying anymore when it comes to public education. Almost like they have accepted that parents have voted with their feet by flocking to the private system.

$148m cut to NSW public school budgets a 'necessity', government says

Education Minister Prue Car says the slashed budget reflects declining public school student numbers as well as an over-staffed executive cohort.

www.abc.net.au

Flocking to the private system yet majority of kids are still in the public system?

 

[Skeppersap]

Flocking to the private system yet majority of kids are still in the public system?

It obviously doesn't happen overnight, but the trend is significant.

I live in the middle of suburbia in South West Sydney, and we are currently looking at a primary school for our oldest child next year. Through all the various forums (daycare, mother's groups, neighbours etc) I am not aware of anyone who is considering the public system. All trying to get their kids in Catholic or the local private school.

That is my current experience.

 

[Sttew]

Some 165,780 children were enrolled in 222 Victorian Independent schools last year, an increase of almost 7,000 on the 2022 figure.

Student numbers surge in thriving Independent schools

More than 160,000 young Victorians now attend an Independent school, with official figures showing unprecedented growth in the Independent sector.

is.vic.edu.au

Growth in the private education sector more than doubled that of government schools, where enrolments grew by 1.7 per cent. Catholic school communities grew by 0.9 per cent, helping push the number of students at non-Catholic independent schools to 166,047. With Catholic schools the total is about 378,730.14 Feb 2024.

Parents choose private schools at record rates, despite cost-of-living crunch

Victorian parents are driving a big shift to non-government schools, opting for low-fee private education over the public sector.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Gralin]

which appears to be 16% of total school enrollments in the state

why do the feds focus all their funding on 16% of the students?

 

[Gralin]

cutting public school funding impacts many more people than cutting private school funding and yet here we are

 

[The Punter]

which appears to be 16% of total school enrollments in the state

why do the feds focus all their funding on 16% of the students?

This is not the case. The Federal Government funds 20% of the SRS for each government operated school.

https://www.education.gov.au/schooling/how-schools-are-funded

 

[Gralin]

This is not the case. The Federal Government funds 20% of the SRS for each government operated school.

https://www.education.gov.au/schooling/how-schools-are-funded

sorry the vast majority of their funding

 

[Coopers]

This is not the case. The Federal Government funds 20% of the SRS for each government operated school.

https://www.education.gov.au/schooling/how-schools-are-funded

Am I reading that right, where the government is funding 80% of the SRS for private schools?

 

[Carn The Berries]

Am I reading that right, where the government is funding 80% of the SRS for private schools?

As a starting point yes, but that is before DMI, regional & other adjustments. The most a school can receive is 90% of that 80%. The majority (about 2/3 ish) receive less than that. The lowest that a school can receive is 20% of SRS (that's the very elite/affluent schools).

 

[Gruffles]

which appears to be 16% of total school enrollments in the state

why do the feds focus all their funding on 16% of the students?

Your statement here is a little misleading. Feds are looking at Australia as a whole, not state specific figures.

In any case, the 16% figure stated in the article is specifically looking at Independent schools, not including non-government catholic schools. ABS figures have Victorian non-government school enrolment at 36.5% of total enrolments. Australia as a whole is at 36% non-government enrolments.

 

[Gralin]

Your statement here is a little misleading. Feds are looking at Australia as a whole, not state specific figures.

In any case, the 16% figure stated in the article is specifically looking at Independent schools, not including non-government catholic schools. ABS figures have Victorian non-government school enrolment at 36.5% of total enrolments. Australia as a whole is at 36% non-government enrolments.

cool
why do the feds primarily focus funding on one third of students then

 

[Gruffles]

cool
why do the feds primarily focus funding on one third of students then

Because the current funding set-up has states playing the primary funding role of government schools.

I don't fully agree with the current funding model, I was just pointing out some incorrect information.

 

[Gralin]

Because the current funding set-up has states playing the primary funding role of government schools.

I don't fully agree with the current funding model, I was just pointing out some incorrect information.

thats not a reason

a reason would be why its setup that way

and the answer is the ideology of the government that set itup

 

[The Punter]

The Feds are constitutionally prohibited from directly funding government operated schools.

So politics (getting credit for doing something).

 

[Gralin]

The Feds are constitutionally prohibited from directly funding government operated schools.

So politics (getting credit for doing something).

Then how do they provide 20% of the funding?

 

[Gruffles]

thats not a reason

a reason would be why its setup that way

and the answer is the ideology of the government that set itup

Cool.

 

[The Punter]

Then how do they provide 20% of the funding?

They give it to state governments, who fund the schools and get the credit.

Politicians need to get credit and gratitude in order to keep being elected. That's the way it is.

 

[Chief]

Cool.

Look at it this way.

If you're the federal government and want to curry favour with voters, schools are a big topic, but you can't control state schools, what do you do?

Pump up your support for the school system you CAN exert control over at will.

 

[Chief]

Politicians need to get credit and gratitude in order to keep being elected. That's the way it is.

Exactly.

 

[Sttew]

thats not a reason

a reason would be why its setup that way

and the answer is the ideology of the government that set itup

And successive governments that perpetuate the arrangement?

Or is that just political expedience?

 

[Gruffles]

Look at it this way.

If you're the federal government and want to curry favour with voters, schools are a big topic, but you can't control state schools, what do you do?

Pump up your support for the school system you CAN exert control over at will.

I totally understand the underlying motivations. I was just pointing out that figures used were incorrect in the above post. I was just calibrating my reply to match the energy my post was given.

As already mentioned, I don't agree with the current funding model. I think centralising the senior curriculum will actually force the feds hand to pick up more of the bill.

 

[Gralin]

I totally understand the underlying motivations. I was just pointing out that figures used were incorrect in the above post. I was just calibrating my reply to match the energy my post was given.

As already mentioned, I don't agree with the current funding model. I think centralising the senior curriculum will actually force the feds hand to pick up more of the bill.

You're reply that didn't answer the question
You could have pointed out the number was higer and engaged

 

[Gralin]

And successive governments that perpetuate the arrangement?

Or is that just political expedience?

Both parties are ideologically opposed to spending appropriately on public services

Neoliberal economics is bipartisan in this country

Add to that the money and influence behind the private school systems and it's just another example of the problem with our current democracy

Which isn't for everyone despite what they tell us

 

[Gruffles]

You're reply that didn't answer the question
You could have pointed out the number was higer and engaged

Gralin, your question was flawed and outright incorrect when it was asked. I just added the correct data so that any further conversation would be valid, to which you responded with a passive aggressive, 'ccol', rather than 'oopsie'. Why would I engage with that any further? It's so combative and I don't see the point in discussing things with combative people.

Your figure was about 2.5x away from the true figure. I can only imagine the response if the other side of the argument used something so incorrect.