Sydney
Today the Gillard Government released new figures that confirm increases in the overall funding allocations for every school, in every schooling sector, in Tasmania over the next six years.
The figures show that, under the Gillard Government's National Plan for School Improvement, Tasmanian schools will receive about an extra $400 million over six years to bring their schools up to the new resourcing standard.
Of this, government schools will get a boost of about $230 million, Catholic schools will receive about $110 million and Independent schools will be boosted by about $60 million.
The Gillard Government today also released new figures that confirm that every single government school in Tasmania will receive extra funding over the next six years, under our new and fairer funding model.
The figures - based on the needs-based funding model the Gillard Government wants to introduce for every school - reveal that schools with the highest needs will benefit the most from the National Plan for School Improvement.
They show the increase in funding for every government school in Tasmania by 2019.
This extra money will help Tasmanian schools give every student the best education possible, no matter where they live or their family background.
It will help deliver:• More one on one attention and support in the classroom for every child;• Specialist literacy and numeracy programs for those children in danger of being left behind;• Greater assistance for those students with disability or special need; and• Improvements in building the skills and knowledge of teachers and providing mentoring support for those who are new to the profession.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to deliver the biggest investment in education in generations.
It's time for Premier Lara Giddings to get serious and to sign up to the Gillard Government's plan for better schools.
The Tasmanian Government needs to commit to paying their fair share of the $400 million on offer over the next six years, as that is the only way to guarantee that schools in their state will have the resources they need to give their students a world-class education.
The figures released today have been calculated using the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) model, which includes a base amount per student and extra money through loadings for indigenous and low SES students, students with disability, and students with limited English skills. Small schools and schools in regional and remote locations also receive extra funding.
Under the National Plan, the Australian Government will allocate federal funding for all schools in states that sign up using the SRS. State Governments must agree to also distribute funding using a needs-based model, and to increase school funding by at least 3 per cent every year.
The final details of any Tasmanian needs-based funding model will need to be confirmed with the State Government, however this data demonstrates the substantial increase in funding available for all schools under the new needs-based system.
Based on the SRS model the Gillard Government is implementing, a similar result would be produced for all school sectors, in every state and territory - funding increases for every school, with the biggest increases going to schools with the highest needs.