Historic investment in Australian schooling

Extra resources

The Government is investing $9.8 billion over six years from 2014‑15 in once in a generation school reforms to enhance Australia's future productivity and wellbeing. These reforms will deliver:

• greater equity in school funding;
• improved teacher selection, training and mentoring; and
• more assistance for schools facing disadvantage to ensure all children can achieve their goals.

These reforms will ensure Australian students can achieve world‑beating results.

Ambitious goals

The Government has set two new and important goals for Australian schools in the Asian century:

• Australia to be placed in the top five countries internationally in reading, mathematics and science by 2025; and
• Australia to be considered a high quality and high equity schooling system by international standards by 2025.

These goals will help lock in our strong starting position in the Asian century and ensure all Australians can make the most of its opportunities.

Equitable and consistent funding

Australia's current school funding arrangements are complex and inconsistent, and are not providing enough support for those most in need.

The Gonski Review proposed a more equitable and consistent system for funding Australian schools.

The Government's new Schooling Resource Standard sets a base funding level for every student, built on the costs of schools already achieving strong results.

In addition, it provides extra funding for students facing disadvantage, and is designed to help every student succeed, regardless of background.