Education

In 2016‑17, the Commonwealth will provide funding of $17.6 billion to support State education services, including $17.0 billion in Students First funding and $578.3 million through National Partnership payments, as detailed in Table 2.5.

(a) Includes payments for government and non‑government schools. However, the non‑government schools component is not included in the Memorandum item.

Students First funding

The Commonwealth's Students First policy aims to improve the educational outcomes of Australian students and their schools.

In 2016‑17, the Commonwealth will provide $17.0 billion in Students First funding to government and non‑government schools in all States. This includes recurrent funding, capital funding, special circumstances funding for non‑government schools, funding for non‑government representative bodies, and other prescribed purpose funding.

(a) Includes capital funding.

(b) Includes special circumstances funding. As State allocations cannot be determined, this funding is included in the total for each year only. As a result, the total for each year does not equal the sum of State totals.

(c) Includes other prescribed purpose funding.

(d) Includes funding for non‑government representative bodies.

(e) Includes additional funding for students with disability.

(f) State allocations from the 2018 school year onwards are indicative only and final allocations are subject to formal negotiations between the Commonwealth, the States and the non‑government schools sector.

Between 2018 and 2020, the Commonwealth will provide $1.2 billion in additional funding for government and non‑government schools. Funding, which will grow by 3.56 per cent each year with an allowance for changes in enrolments, will be contingent on reform efforts by the States and the non‑government schools sector to improve education outcomes.

New spending measures associated with Students First are discussed in Budget Paper No. 2, Budget Measures 2016‑17.

National Partnership payments for education

In addition to Students First funding, the Commonwealth will provide funding for State education services through National Partnerships, as detailed below.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on the Independent Public Schools initiative. This National Partnership supports increased autonomy in government schools across Australia by encouraging greater engagement of parents and local communities in school decision making, and by providing professional development for principals, school leaders and school communities.

(a) Funding amounts are not published for 2017‑18 and beyond as negotiations are yet to be finalised.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on MoneySmart Teaching. This National Partnership supports the delivery of professional learning to teachers in primary and secondary schools and the development of teacher support materials, to improve financial literacy in schools.

(a) Funding amounts are not published for 2018‑19 and beyond as negotiations are yet to be finalised.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on the national quality agenda for early childhood education and care. This National Partnership maintains the Commonwealth's investment in the National Quality Framework which supports an integrated and unified national regulatory system for early childhood education and care services, as well as outside school hours care services.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on the National School Chaplaincy Programme. The programme supports the emotional wellbeing of students through the provision of pastoral care services in participating schools.

The Commonwealth has provided funding for the National Partnership on the National School for Travelling Show Children. This National Partnership supported the provision of on‑site supervision services for students of the National School for Travelling Show Children who receive educational instruction from the Dubbo School of Distance Education.

National Partnership on Northern Territory remote Aboriginal investment

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on Northern Territory remote Aboriginal investment. This continues the Commonwealth's investment under the National Partnership on Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory to address Indigenous disadvantage.

The National Partnership will support the Northern Territory in taking practical action to improve the lives of Aboriginal people through activities and services to improve outcomes in schooling, community safety, health and housing, and create job opportunities for adults.

This National Partnership is discussed further in the Health, Community Services and Affordable Housing sections of this Part.

The Commonwealth will provide funding to improve school readiness and the literacy and numeracy of remote and very remote Indigenous students in the Northern Territory. The funding aims to improve the attendance, engagement and educational achievement of Indigenous students.

(a) Includes government and non‑government schools.

(b) State allocations are indicative estimates only.

The Commonwealth will provide funding for the National Partnership on online safety programmes in schools. This National Partnership will support the delivery of online safety programmes in schools by providers that have been certified, approved or recognised by the Children's e‑Safety Commissioner.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on the School Pathways Programme to encourage the ongoing skilling of the defence industry. The Programme focuses on showcasing potential career paths and increasing the number of students undertaking science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects relevant to the defence industry. The Programme is also increasing employer awareness of the options for, and benefits of, recruiting young people with sought‑after qualifications, skills and attributes into the defence industry.

(a) Includes government and non‑government schools.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on the Schools Security Programme. This National Partnership assists schools that face the risk of attack, harassment or violence stemming from racial or religious intolerance, to meet the costs of security guards and/or security infrastructure such as fencing, lighting and CCTV cameras.

(a) Includes government and non‑government schools.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on trade training centres in schools. This National Partnership funds the creation, upgrade and refurbishment of trade training centres and trades skill centres, and the purchase of industry standard equipment. The infrastructure funded under the programme is being used to deliver nationally‑recognised training qualifications to secondary school students.

The Commonwealth is providing funding for the National Partnership on universal access to early childhood education. This National Partnership supports the provision of affordable, quality early childhood education programmes for all children in the year before full‑time school for 15 hours per week or 600 hours per year.