FULL LIST: Queensland’s ‘richest’ state schools revealed

Some Queensland public schools are raking in millions in extra payments thanks to hefty parent contributions and additional fees on top of government spending. See how much your school makes.

Select Queensland public schools are raking in millions of extra dollars each year from parents and other income sources on top of their government funding, while other schools go without.

An exclusive Sunday Mail analysis has revealed Queensland public schools took in a whopping $225 million in fees, charges and parent contributions in 2019, according to the latest My School data.

Queensland’s largest school, Kelvin Grove State College, collected more than $5 million, while Indooroopilly State High School recorded about $4.8 million.

Varsity College added $3.4 million to its coffers, followed by the Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology ($2.9 million) and Cairns State High School ($2.8 million).

But on a per student basis, it was Mitchelton State High School who recorded the most extra cash.

For each of its students the school collected an average of $5522, totally about $2.4 million.

Along with QASMT, the state’s other two selective “smart schools”, the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries and the Queensland Academy for Health Sciences ranked in the top 10 for the highest amount of fees, charges and contributions per student.

But more than 70 Queensland schools were recorded as receiving no parental contributions or additional income at all.

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the income figures did not account for any additional voluntary contributions parents may choose to contribute, but which were not directly invoiced.

“This category is income generated by schools in addition to their allocated funding through sources such as international student fees, hiring of facilities, student resource schemes for the provision of IT devices and musical instruments etc,” she said.

Kelvin Grove State College collected more than $5 million in fees, charges and parental contributions. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Social researcher and demographer Mark McCrindle said certain schools, particularly those which offered selective entry, tended to have parents who were more inclined to chip in.

“The degree to which a school community, and particularly the parents, get engaged in the school’s activities has a direct relationship with how much they will then make in those contributions,” he said.

“Selective schools do tend to have very motivated parents and a community around that school, so you tend to find a far higher willingness and motivation towards the contributions, compared to a regular state school.

“Parents know they’re not paying those same schools feels that they would be at an alternative school.”

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson said school funding was “complex”, and there were multiple ways in which public schools received money to operate.

She also said even though invoices for certain payments would be sent to all parents, there would always be some families who could not or did not pay, resulting in variances among schools.

“Some schools certainly have parents and communities who are more able to pay fees,” she said.

“Sometimes where the system can’t support it with resourcing, then those schools may seek that resourcing from parents.”

The Department of Education spokeswoman said schools could choose to seek “purely voluntary financial contributions”.

“State school principals make decisions about the need for VFCs, and what amount may be requested, in consultation with the P&C/School Council and the broader school community,” she said.

“VFCs are used by the school to supplement student resources.

“For example, money could be put towards the library or pool, or to subsidise the cost of a bus for life skills activities in a Special School.”