Qld school attendance at second lowest level in more than 10 years

Queensland school attendance rates have slumped to less than 90 per cent, only marginally higher than the immediate post-Covid pandemic low.

Premier David Crisafulli and Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek at Carbrook State School.

Queensland school attendance rates has slumped to less than 90 per cent, only marginally higher than the immediate post-Covid pandemic low.

Attendance rates for years 1 to 10 in all Queensland schools fell to 88.1 per cent in 2024, according to the latest figures by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.

That rate is higher than the immediate post-Covid low of 86.7 per cent but is lower than the 88.3 per cent recorded in 2023, and significantly less than the 2017 peak of 92.4 per cent.

A Department of Education spokesman said school attendance had been impacted by major disruptions, including extreme weather events and the Covid-19 pandemic and other health-related events.

“We remain committed to lifting attendance rates to improve academic success, students’ overall wellbeing and future employment opportunities.”

At a media conference on Thursday, Premier David Crisafulli and Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek linked their 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge to a broader campaign to improve student retention and academic standards.

The Challenge, which asks students to read 20 books between now and August, is being used as an incentive and an intervention.

Mr Langbroek said providing practical rewards such as book vouchers was a direct strategy to increase engagement and encourage students to stay connected with learning.

“If we can get 100 per cent participation rate in the school, they’re going to be eligible for book vouchers and things like that,” Mr Langbroek said.

Premier David Crisafulli and Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek launch the 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge at Carbrook State School.

“It’s so important to have the Year of Reading with a focus on as many schools as possible and as many students as possible.

“We’re focusing, we know the importance of reading and how it leads to increased and improved literacy outcomes,” he said.

“That leads to a lifetime of improved education.”

Despite the slide in overall attendance, the number of students completing Year 12 post-Covid has slightly improved and remains about the national average.

The number of Queensland Year 10 students who went on to complete Year 12 in 2024 has steadily improved since 2018 the new data shows.

Only 18.8 per cent of pupils who started Year 10 studies in 2022 did not go on to graduate high school last year, according to the latest apparent retention rates.

That figure is the highest apparent retention rate for students completing Years 10 to 12 post-Covid but is still well short of the peak in 2018 when just 12.2 per cent dropped out.

“Retention rates are impacted by a variety of factors including students choosing to

undertake training outside of school (such as a traineeship or apprenticeship), moving

interstate or overseas, or commencing employment,” the education spokesman said.

Both Australia and Queensland has recorded a significant growth in enrolments of students, with the state’s enrolment rates outpacing the rest of the country over a 14-year period.

Notably enrolments across Queensland Catholic schools have risen 1.49 per cent and independent schools 3.81 per cent in 2024, while Government schools have recorded an all- time low of only 64 per cent of Queensland students enrolled.

Queensland Teachers Union president Cresta Richardson said state schools had suffered significant funding shortfalls over the past decade.

“Coupled with a teacher shortage crisis, occupational violence, and crippling workload,” she said.

“The Queensland Teachers’ Union is urging all Queenslanders to take an interest as a community in advocating for public schools at a state and federal level to ensure our next generation of students are supported and resourced to meet the modern workforce.”

In 2024, The Courier Mail revealed that 21,011 Queensland teachers were aged over 60 – more than double that of teachers in the 25-29 age bracket (10,014) and quadruple those in the under-25 age range.

It prompted a warning from the Queensland Association of State School Principals about a potential new staffing crisis, amid already serious workers shortage.

But new data has revealed Queensland has recorded a total of 103,832 full-time teaching staff, a 2.73 per cent increase since 2023.

While the average student to teaching staff ratio was 13.2 students per teacher across the state — this has dropped from 14.6 per cent since 2001 which indicates a steady improvement in classroom sizes.

In 2024, there were 14.0 students per teacher at Catholic schools, 12.9 independent, 13.0 government.