What every Queensland school gets in government funding

Billions of government funding is being tipped into Queensland schools but in-depth analysis reveals the winners and losers in the school funding battle. SEARCH THE INTERACTIVE TABLE

MORE than $28 billion was spent across Queensland schools over three years, with all but one of the top ten funded based in the Southeast corner.

The latest financial data from My School exclusively analysed by The Courier-Mail reveals how $28,876,890,155 federal and state funding was spent across Queensland schools during 2015-2017.

Tagai State College, located at 17 campuses across the Torres Strait Islands raked in the most federal and state combined funding over the period receiving $111,353,618.

It was followed by Gold Coast based Varsity College at $101,452,390, Brisbane School of Distance Education at $95,653,312 and North Lakes State College at $94,271,650.

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Traditionally top-performing Brisbane State High School was the fifth most-funded over the three years, receiving $91,053,373, followed by Sunshine Coast based Chancellor State College ($90,326,806) and Meridan State College ($85,645,347).

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Kelvin Grove State College came in eighth with ($83,016,190), followed by Helensvale State High School ($81,024,587, and rounding out the top 10 was Upper Coomera State College ($80,978,634).

The funding for every QLD school has been revealed.

State Education Minister Grace Grace said the Queensland government was committed to giving every Queensland child a world-class education no matter where they live, increasing the previous year’s spending by $800 million to $13.8 billion in the 2019-20 budget.

“No two schools are alike. Schools reflect their community and the total funding provided to individual schools reflects a range of factors.

“Including the location/remoteness and any additional learning support required by the student attending that school, such as support for students with a disability, or students from low socio-economic backgrounds.”

Tagai State College which educates 1500 students received the funding due to its highly remote and decentralised nature, a Department of Education spokesperson said.

“With its campuses covering 48,000sq km of ocean, the running costs are higher than that of a single campus school,” a Department of Education spokesperson said.

Over the past five years the Queensland Government has invested close to $21 million for Tagai State College to ensure that it has the contemporary education infrastructure it needs at each campus.

In addition, the Queensland Government is investing more than $450,000 in 2019-20 to refurbish learning spaces at the Kubin Campus, $450,000 for the school’s Mabuiag Island Campus, and an additional $450,000 for the school’s St Paul’s Campus.

The school will also receive more than $80,000 funding for a new school set-down shade structure with $15,000 contributed by the school.

Kelvin Grove State College is set to benefit from a $17.7 million state-of-the art Queensland Ballet Academy and $21.4 million for a multi-purpose centre with 17 classrooms, a staffroom, amenities, three enclosed multi-purpose courts and a car park.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education said the Academy would be a one-of-a-kind Queensland state school facility including six dance studies, two learning spaces, a gym room, staffroom, car park and pedestrian link to the school.

“Supporting student development to the highest artistic and technical standards and providing a secondary school pathway for talented young dancers to a professional career in ballet or dance,” the spokesperson said.

The most funded independent and Catholic schools were Reedy Creek based Kings Christian College at $55,031, 686 and Kirwan based Ryan Catholic College at $68,399,791.

Independent Schools Queensland Executive Director David Robertson independent school network make a significant contribution to their communities and the state’s outcomes and deserve fair funding.

“Queensland parents also operate on tight education budgets. Public funding volatility impacts parents who generally have to fill the gap created by any reduction in government support.”