On Wednesday, the governments of NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia were presented with a September deadline to reach an agreement and sign up to the Federal Government’s Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA).
However, the announcement received a lukewarm response from key stakeholders across Australia’s education system, with some claiming it will lock in underfunding for public schools for the next decade.
As the leaders who will be tasked with implementing any reforms that manifest from Federal, State and Territory agreements, Australia’s principals are observing developments with a sense of caution.
Public primary schools remain grossly underfunded
The Australian Government Primary Principals Association (AGPPA) which represents over 7,000 school leaders in 5,300 government primary schools across Australia, said it questions the Federal Government’s approach to achieving the reforms, particularly when it comes to full and fair funding for public primary schools.
“Government primary schools in Australia service 1.6 million students, yet of that number of students, less than 30,000 are fully funded,” AGPPA President Pat Murphy told The Educator.
“It is now 12 years since Gonski delivered his report highlighting decades of underfunding of public schools, yet our schools still remain drastically underfunded”.
Murphy said while the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) was developed by the Gonski panel as a minimum funding requirement for every school, less than 2% of students attending government schools are funded at this level.
“The current Federal Government, when in opposition, constantly championed the need for schools to be funded at a minimum of 100% of the SRS, which AGPPA fully endorsed. When the Labor party came to power in 2022, they continued this same rhetoric,” he said.
“Unfortunately, in the passing two years the realisation of the promise is yet to be delivered for public school students. With a Federal Labor Government and coast-to-coast mainland states also being Labor, it was hoped that this would provide an ideal platform for education ministers to work together for the betterment of Australia’s children”.
Murphy said whilst AGPPA shares the Commonwealth Government’s frustration that more time continues to move ideally by, without an agreement, it’s not so sure about the approach being taken by the Federal Government.
“Should an agreement not be reached it will be a tragedy for our public schooling system and potentially enshrine the segregation we experience in government schools for another generation,” Murphy said.
“The Federal Government needs to show leadership in this space to ensure the nation's public-school students are properly resourced. The Federal Government developed this funding method, and it is their role to make it work for the public school students of this country.”
Murphy said since the Federal Government has the greatest capacity to generate income, it is only reasonable that they carry a significant level of accountability for ensuring public schools, with approximately 70% of the student population, are adequately resourced.
“AGPPA are calling on the Federal Government to actively engage with State and Territory Education Ministers and Treasurer’s to deliver the full funding of the SRS for every student in the country from the start of the 2026 school year,” Murphy said.
“We urge Federal Education Minister Jason Clare to reconvene with State Ministers as a priority, ensuring the conversation focuses on delivering a signed agreement, achieving what we have been waiting for now for over a decade, 100% of the SRS. This is surely a fair and reasonable thing to expect for future generations and the prosperity of our nation.”
A good start, but more can be done
Principals in Australia’s largest education jurisdiction say that while the transparency in the funding agreement should be welcomed, achieving 100% of the SRS would be a crucial step towards a more equitable and high-performing education system for all Australian students.
“The Council is optimistic about the ambitious targets set in the agreement, particularly those aimed at increasing Year 12 achievement, improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and expanding VET and alternative pathways,” Denise Lofts, President of the NSW Secondary Principal’s Council (SPC) told The Educator.
“These initiatives underscore a commitment to providing every student with the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their background or location.”
Lofts said while the SPC strongly supports these goals, it emphasises the need for full funding.
“The council encourages the ongoing focus on better strategies in teacher recruitment and retention, principal wellbeing, and school infrastructure, stressing the need for strategic, long-term planning to address these challenges effectively.”
A significant step towards a more equitable system
The Australian Secondary Principals' Association President, Andy Mison, also welcomed the BFSA, calling it “a significant step towards creating a more equitable and high-performing education system for all Australian students.”
Mison commended the agreement's focus on wellbeing support, a longer-term vision for sustainable school funding, and a commitment to transparency in funding allocation.
“We hope to see a move toward a fairer expectation that all schools receiving public money will have comparable obligations for enrolment, fee regulation, and inclusion,” Mison said.
"We are particularly heartened by the ambitious targets set out in the agreement for achieving equity and excellence in our education system.”
Mison said these targets demonstrate “a positive intent” for ensuring that every student, regardless of background or location, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Meeting this week in Brisbane, the ASPA Board strongly supported the agreement's emphasis on strengthening student wellbeing through initiatives like full-service schools, increased access to mental health professionals, and dedicated wellbeing coordinators.
However, the Association stressed the critical importance of fully funding these ambitious goals.
“We urge all Australian Governments to come together and make an unequivocal commitment to fully funding public schools, ensuring that every school has the resources necessary to provide a high-quality education for every child,” Mison said.
“This is not just an investment in our children's future; it is an investment in the future of our nation.”
‘Teacher shortage demands sustainable solutions’
Mison said while ASPA acknowledges the intent of reforms to address the recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders, the association emphasises the need for effective and sustainable solutions.
“While we appreciate the efforts being made to attract and retain teachers, particularly in hard-to-staff areas, we are seeing mixed results from current strategies,” Mison said.
“Financial incentives need careful consideration to avoid unintended consequences. They must be substantial enough to offset the rising cost of living and housing challenges, and structured in a way that doesn't alienate existing staff who may be ineligible for recruitment bonuses.”
ASPA also reiterated its call for action on principal wellbeing and efficacy, proposing a model of professional supervision for principals, independent from state and territory employers. Mison said this model would provide principals with confidential, independent support and guidance, fostering their professional growth and enhancing their overall wellbeing.
“Our principals need contemporary systems of professional support,” Mison said.
“Providing them with confidential, independent support similar to the support provided in other frontline service industries is essential for their wellbeing and for the effective leadership of our schools.”