Schools in the Lyne electorate will lose $18 million in additional funding if the Turnbull government is re-elected, Lake Wallis Teachers Association members told shoppers at the Pacific Palms markets earlier this week.
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Teachers handed out leaflets and engaged in conversations about the need for full funding of the Gonski six-year needs-based schools funding model.
The Gonski Review was the most comprehensive investigation of the way our schools are funded in almost 40 years.
Headed by businessman David Gonski, it found that too many children were being denied the education they needed due to a lack of resources.
The review recommended that schools be funded according to the needs of their students and what was required to educate each one of them to a high standard.
Each school would get a base level of Commonwealth and State funding, plus additional money or loadings to take into account the school’s size and location and the individual needs of students (such as whether they are from a disadvantaged background or have a disability).
Funding started to flow to schools in 2014, with schools reporting improved teaching and learning outcomes.
But, two-thirds of the money is due to reach schools in 2018 and 2019 (years five and six), and of the major parties only Labor and the Greens have promised to deliver funding for those final two years.
Only the fully funded model will transition all schools to the minimum resource standard, recommended by the Gonski Review.
The Coalition will scrap the Gonski funding model and not deliver the funding set down in state agreements in 2018 and 2019.
Malcolm Turnbull has committed to increase funding for public and private schools by only 3.6 per cent each year.