This was published 12 years ago
Gonski reforms to demand 'improvement plans' from all schools
Schools will have to draw up annual improvement plans even in states that do not sign up to Prime Minister Julia Gillard's funding reforms.
The plans would have to explain how schools would improve learning and teaching practices, and better target resources and would be posted on the My School website.
The prospect of schools missing out on extra funding but still facing extra reporting burdens was revealed as the government released planned legal changes to deliver its landmark reforms.
The federal government wants to pass its legislation before Parliament rises this month ahead of the September election, but has so far only struck deals with NSW and the ACT.
Ms Gillard has placed the needs-based funding reforms championed by businessman David Gonski at the centre of her election-year agenda, saying they would deliver an extra $14.5 billion in combined federal and state support over six years.
The Prime Minister has set a June 30 deadline to finalise agreements with other states, but the legislation does not lock in this date. Instead, the bill would allow further deals to be struck ahead of the 2014 school year or even later.
States would gain access to the new funding system by signing up to the National Education Reform Agreement and making a deal with the federal government.
Non-participating states would have an extension of the existing funding system but would lose the benefit of targeted national partnership funding when those programs expired.
And, to gain any federal funding at all, these non-participating states would still have to sign a modified education agreement including a requirement for schools to prepare and publish annual improvement plans.
They would have to back the key reform elements and the goal to lift Australia's performance in reading, maths and science to being among the world's top five by 2025.
Under the Gonski reforms, base funding would be allocated for each student and this would be topped up with "loadings" recognising categories of disadvantage, including disability, indigenous background, poor English proficiency, low socio-economic status and school size.
The base funding for non-government schools would be adjusted by parents' capacity to contribute.
Schools deemed to require extra funding would receive annual increases in federal funding of 4.7 per cent until they reach the schooling resource standard - the new benchmark.
But if the new funding model calculated less funding per student than the previous system, the school would get the same funding as it enjoyed previously plus 3 per cent annual increases.
The government says the law includes a more extensive and rigorous process for education authorities to appeal decisions, including their funding entitlement.
It is understood the government has received only 19 applications over the past four years to adjust schools' socio-economic status rating. But officials expect an increase in appeals under the new system.
Another officer in the federal education department would first review the original decision, after which someone could go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
The bill comes amid political brawling over the worth of the Gonski reforms, with the federal opposition questioning Ms Gillard's ability to strike a truly national agreement and Victoria and Queensland denouncing the federal government's negotiating process.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has disputed claims the school funding system was broken and indicated the Coalition would seek to extend the current arrangements while working out a way forward. Ms Gillard, in turn, accused Mr Abbott of seeking to rip billions of dollars out of schools.
School Education Minister Peter Garrett said on Tuesday the legislation would deliver "the most significant reforms to education in 40 years" and extra support for those who needed it the most.
"This is a very important piece of legislation ... a national plan for school improvement making sure we have a better education for all Australian students in all schools," he said.
Mr Garrett said voters would have a choice on September 14 between "a legislated plan provided for in the budget" or an opposition that would "keep a broken funding model" and leave schools worse off.
In question time, Prime Minister Julia Gillard used State of Origin sentiment as she demanded Queensland Premier Campbell Newman follow NSW counterpart Barry O'Farrell's lead.
"We will see a great sporting clash this week, Queensland and NSW," she said.
"I'm concerned too about the education race between those two states."