$27.01 MILLION IN NEEDS-BASED FUNDING FOR NORTHERN TABLELANDS SCHOOLS

Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell, left, Wytaliba Public School Principal Debbie Hunter and Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall.

Thursday, 15 October 2020

NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has today announced a 4 per cent increase, an additional $1.03 million, in needs-based recurrent funding for Northern Tablelands public schools in 2021.

In total, the 59 Northern Tablelands public schools will receive $27.01 million in needs based equity funding next year.

A passionate advocate of the Gonski educations reforms, Mr Marshall said this additional support was a result of the NSW Government being the first to sign up to and fully fund the Gonski education agreement, which will deliver $6.4 billion in additional funding to NSW students over six years.

He said that since Gonski was introduced in NSW, the needs-based funding allocation model had seen annual recurrent funding for the 59 Northern Tablelands public schools increase by $17.6 million.

“The difference between pre-Gonski funding allocations just six years ago and today could not be starker,” Mr Marshall said.

“Instead of celebrating more than $27 million in funding next year, without Gonski, our locals schools would only be receiving $9.4 million, or 65 per cent less.

“This is why these education reforms were and continue to be so important, because it is our country schools and country students who benefit the most.

“It’s also what NSW public schools have always wanted – a significant increase in funding guaranteed into the future, with the greatest benefits flowing to schools and students with the greatest need.

“This would not have happened without the leadership of former Education Minister Adrian Piccoli and a determination to put the needs of students first in our education system, not politics.”

Mr Marshall said today’s announcement built on those increases and he was confident school communities and principals would be delighted at the prospect of planning the use of their additional funds.

“The core of the state government’s Local Schools, Local Decisions reforms is to put decision-making about students and school communities with the people who know them best – the principals, school staff and parents,” he said.

“The distribution of funds on a needs basis under the RAM gives them exactly that opportunity.

“Many schools in the Northern Tablelands electorate will see additional benefits in areas such as literacy and numeracy support, teachers’ professional development and community engagement.

“I continue to urge the Federal Government to recognise the importance of Gonski for our public schools system in country NSW.”

** A detailed breakdown of the funding for local schools over the last seven years and prior to the Gonski reforms is below.

Northern Tablelands public schools’ needs-based equity funding (RAM) 2013-2021