Catholic Education seeks more funds for shifting year 7s to high school

Millions of taxpayer dollars will be poured into private school budgets to pay for the year 7 transition, but some say they have been short-changed.

Private schools will receive millions of dollars more in funding this year as a result of Year 7’s transition to high school.

Even though most private year 7 pupils were in secondary schools prior to 2022, they only received state government funding at primary school levels where the base rate is $3000 less per student.

Catholic Education SA has welcomed the increase but says it has been short-changed $6m over the past few years – and it is now seeking back pay.

South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools chairman Denis Ralph said the sector decided to shift year 7 after the government set that policy in 2018.

Accordingly, most Catholic schools taught year 7 in secondary settings from 2019.

The federal government immediately increased its funding to secondary rates but the state government did not.

“This has created a funding shortfall from 2019-2021 of more than $6 million,” said Professor Ralph.

Denis Ralph, chairman of the SA Commission for Catholic Schools.

Education Minister John Gardner.

“In addition, Catholic Education SA has experienced higher per student education costs and substantial expenditure related to the construction of new facilities in secondary schools and staff training and redeployment.

“Catholic Education SA has not received any financial support from the state government during this transition.

“Therefore, we are now seeking a commitment of $10 million in recognition of the … funding shortfall and the significant infrastructure costs incurred in the transition of year 7 students.”

The most recent national education funding has a base rate of $15,204 per secondary student and $12,099 per primary student.

Under an SA-federal pact, the state pays 22 per cent and the Commonwealth 80 per cent of funds due to a private student.

The total increase to private schools for this year will be determined once final enrolment numbers are settled and the funding formula is applied.

When asked to commit to the $10m back pay request, Education Minister John Gardner said it was “unlikely”.

He pointed out the 2018 Budget announcement only committed funding at secondary levels from 2022.

It would have been “complex and challenging” to fund private year 7s at a higher rate than government year 7s, he said.

He also noted that recurrent state funding to Catholic schools had increased from $95m in 2017 to $144m in 2021.

The Catholic request for $10m comes on top of a campaign for the major parties to commit to ongoing annual capital grants, increasing from $14m in 2022 to $20m by 2025.