Tasmania has signed on to the Federal Government’s school funding deal, locking in 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) for the state’s public schools from 2026 – nine years earlier than was initially proposed.
The deal makes Tasmania the third state or territory to sign on to the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA), putting pressure on NSW, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland, which are pushing for a better deal.
The BFSA sets a target for participating jurisdictions that by 2030, the proportion of students leaving school with a Year 12 certificate will increase to 83.8% (by 2030), from 76.3% in 2022 – the highest rate of Year 12 certification ever achieved. Other targets include lifting student attendance, NAPLAN outcomes, the engagement rate of initial teacher education students, and graduation rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Under the deal signed between the Rockliff and Albanese governments, the Commonwealth will invest $153.5m from 2025 to 2029 in Tasmanian public schools while the Rockliff Government will increase its investment in schools by $195.9m over the same period.
“This agreement confirms that all Tassie public schools will start to receive full funding in just over 12 months – in January 2026,” Federal Education Minister, Jason Clare, said.
However, the Australian Education Union (AEU) says Tasmanian public schools are only on track to reach 96% of the SRS at most, with “a sneaky clause” that allows the state government to “write off” 4% of funding for other non-school based costs never intended to be included in the SRS.
“There is one question that the New South Wales, Victorian, Queensland and South Australian governments will be asking today and that is: ‘Why is the Albanese Government prepared to fast track their offer of 22.5% of the SRS to Western Australian and Tasmanian students by 2026 when all other states are facing a funding cliff?” AEU federal president, Correna Haythorpe, said.
“There has never been a better time to fix the public school funding shortfall.”
The Australian Government Primary Principals Association (AGPPA) president, Pat Murphy, commended the Tasmanian and Federal Governments for working together for the good of schools.
"Our members want to acknowledge that we have two governments of different political persuasions, who have worked together in the interest of the students of the state to ensure they are fully funded as soon as possible," Murphy told The Educator.
"Our members recognise that finding additional funding is not easy when there is so many competing priorities in our society."
Murphy said the Rockliff and Albanese governments have recognised that the agreement is "an investment in Australia’s future which will deliver a long term economic and social dividend to the state and the country".
"It is hoped that this agreement can be a guide to what can and should be achieved by state and federal governments when we put students at the centre of the conversation," Murphy said.