With Term 1 underway, Australia’s secondary school principals are once again juggling a whirlwind of responsibilities – from staffing shortages and student wellbeing to senior assessments and post-school pathways – all while trying to ensure a smooth start for their students and staff, who are experiencing daunting challenges of their own.
Recent studies have highlighted increasingly disruptive classrooms across Australia, worsening burnout and staffing shortages, and a sharp increase in bullying, exacerbating the youth mental health crisis.
Recognising that many school communities are being pushed to breaking point, the Federal Government has been rolling out a number of targeted supports over the past year, including free resources for managing classroom behaviour, a ‘Retain and Sustain Our Principals’ priority, and a six-month national initiative to develop a unified bullying policy.
Since being appointed President of the Australian Secondary Principals Association in October 2023, Andy Mison has been campaigning relentlessly to ensure school leaders receive the support they and their communities need – support that is both tangible and lasting.
Help is on the way. Is it enough?
When asked about the state of play for secondary school principals in 2025, Mison said it’s a “mixed picture”, pointing out that leaders continue to struggle with staff shortages.
“I saw a report last week indicating that we were anticipating at least 4,100 vacant teaching positions this year, which aligns with our earlier predictions when we began working on the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan,” Mison told The Educator.
“There have been some positive efforts, such as salary incentives and recruitment programs, that seem to be making a difference. However, we're still seeing quite a lot of resignations.”
Mison said that while some areas, like metropolitan regions, are finding it easier to staff positions, regional areas continue to face significant challenges.
“For instance, a principal of a regional Victorian school described having 17 vacancies,” Mison said.
Regarding health and wellbeing supports, Mison said there's been “some acknowledgment” of the issue from certain jurisdictions.
“In the ACT, for example, there's collaborative work between the education directorate, principals, and the union to explore ways to reduce administrative burdens, along with a promise of funding to address Principals’ occupational safety, health and wellbeing,” Mison said.
“However, addressing the fundamental issues – such as the increasing complexity of schooling, heightened accountability, and societal expectations – will require a collective response beyond just education departments and principals.”
Promising signs of change
Mison said the complexities that Australia’s school leaders have been facing have the attention of Federal, State, and Territory governments, some of which are making encouraging inroads into tackling some of the biggest pressures facing school communities.
“While cultural behaviours don't change overnight, the most significant shift I've noticed is increased awareness and support from government,” he said.
“For example, in South Australia, Education Minister Blair Boyer recently stood with school leaders’ Associations to publicly condemn violent and aggressive behaviour towards schools, introducing pragmatic supports. Victoria has had legislation addressing this issue for some time.”
Mison said this acknowledgment is crucial for effecting change.
“I'm looking forward to continuing collaboration with governments at all levels to better support our schools. This might involve public education campaigns utilising mainstream media, legislative changes, or providing principals with policy instruments to manage aggressive behaviour effectively,” he said.
“While our schools are safe and welcoming places, occasional incidents of inappropriate behaviour do occur. We need sensible measures in place to protect our students and staff under such circumstances.”
Principals now have a seat at the table
Mison said the establishment last year of the National Principals Reference Group – comprising heads of national peak bodies from all sectors – is another promising development.
The group, which met twice last year with Federal Education Minister, Jason Clare, has formalised its operations and has items on the policy agenda, with principals' health, wellbeing, and efficacy being top priorities.
“One initiative we're promoting is a professional supervision model, which has unanimous cross-sectoral support. This model would provide principals with access to experienced reflective supervision practitioners, offering confidential support separate from their employer,” Mison said.
“With a modest investment, we could build a group of current and former practicing principals and school leaders to provide support for their colleagues. This approach would enhance the capacity of the profession, as no one understands our job like another principal.”
Mison said ASPA is currently awaiting further developments, adding that in the meantime, The National Principals Reference Group has formally written to Jason Clare and is currently working to raise this issue with state and territory ministers.
“We've also sought bipartisan support to ensure the group's longevity and effectiveness,” he said. “Our aim is to provide advice and serve as a sounding board for policy makers and the national education architecture, ensuring that policies are effectively implemented in our schools.”
Mison said this collaborative approach supports better education outcomes for every child in Australia.
“We're aiming to bring the federation together in support of delivering quality education services and outcomes to our kids,” he said.
“We have a great opportunity in Australia as a wealthy nation with a strong education system. By working together and having great ambition, we can lead in education. Principals and school leaders must be front and centre in that effort.”
Disadvantage remains a persistent challenge
Mison said he and many of his colleagues are concerned about the concentrations of disadvantage in some schools.
“This issue predominantly affects public school communities but also impacts a small number of Catholic and independent schools,” he said. “We're seeing an increasing number of schools where a large proportion of students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds.”
Mison said this concentration leads to compounding disadvantages, making it much harder for these schools to bring students to the same level as those in more favourable conditions.
“Factors like parental support, financial resources, and home environments that value education play significant roles in student success. The peer effect also matters; when students are surrounded by peers who come with socio-educational advantages, it elevates everyone,” he said.
“Addressing this isn't just about schools but also housing policy. Concentrations of disadvantage often result from where people can afford to live. We need to consider broader policy settings that promote diversity in our schools, as diversity brings strength.”
Mison said one approach is to establish a common and fair regulatory and funding framework for all schools.
“While we're getting closer on funding, different sectors still operate under different rules,” he said. Public schools take everyone, which means they serve most Indigenous students, students with disabilities, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.”
In contrast, says Mison, Catholic and independent sectors can choose their students and aren't regulated regarding fees, despite receiving significant public funding.
“We've got different sets of rules for different sectors. We would argue that public funding should be available to support every child, but we believe that should come with a commensurate and fair set of obligations,” he said.
“Australia has one of the least equitable systems in the OECD, and unless we address this unfair regulatory environment we'll keep going down this path toward a highly segregated education system. And, you know, I think for the nation, that's not great.”
Mison acknowledged this can be a complex issue, because it comes down to this issue of choice.
“It’s a well-established principle in Australia and has been for some time, that parents can exercise some choice over where they send their kids,” he said.
“We've got no problem with that in principle, but if that’s the case, I think we do need to maybe make sure that choice is available for everyone, not just those that can afford it.”
Mison said this could be a way to ensure a more diverse population in Australia’s schools and address that growing concentration of disadvantage.
“And I know that there are some independent and Catholic schools that offer programs for fee relief, and that capacity to pay provisions affect the amounts received from government, and so on. But I think it shouldn't be on an ad hoc basis like that,” he said.
“It should be just part of the expectation of the Australian public that we expect accountability, transparency, and a fair regulatory framework when we're using taxpayer funds.”
Reflecting on the values that have shaped his perspective on education and leadership, Mison highlighted the importance of equity and opportunity in Australian society.
"These ideas are very consistent with that idea — maybe it's a myth, I don't know — the ‘Australian fair go’; we aspire to be an egalitarian society where we bring up our most vulnerable, and we support all of our young people, and everyone has opportunity,” he said.
“And that's why Australia's such a great place to be, why we live in relative peace and abundance. I think we can afford to be generous, overcome ideological difference and open our hearts to actually working together.”