Data reveals big variations in what schools are receiving from Investing for Success funding

Huge differences have been uncovered in what Gold Coast schools are receiving from a special fund used to help struggling students. See how your school fares.

A Gold Coast MP says some schools are being “ripped off” after figures emerged showing a wide variation in the amounts received from a special funding program.

Data released to Theodore MP Mark Boothman shows a number of schools with relatively low socio-educational advantage getting less ‘Investing for Success’ (I4S) funding than others in better off parts of the city.

The state government allocates about $290 million each year under the I4S program, with funds typically used by schools to help provide extra support to struggling students.

The money is in addition to the standard funding schools receive from state and federal governments each year.

Theodore MP Mark Boothman. Picture: David Clark.

At high school level, Nerang State High School will receive $414,873 in I4S funds this year, well behind the $743,097 for Keebra Park State High School in Southport, although both have similar student numbers and almost identical Index of Community Socio-educational Advantage (ICSEA) ratings.

Helensvale State High School and Southport State High School also have almost identical ICSEA and enrolment numbers, but are receiving $684,346 and $977,890 respectively.

Ormeau Woods State High only gets $474,806, equating to just $306 per student.

But Benowa State High School, which has one of the area’s highest ICSEA numbers, does better with an average of $361 per student.

At primary level, Highland Reserve State School in Upper Coomera this year receives just $278,904 – an average of $286 for each of its 976 students. Fast-growing Picnic State School in Coomera gets $299,160 for its 992 students, while Helensvale State School, with 993 students, gets $308,800.

In contrast Surfers Paradise State School, with 650 students, receives $328,183; Musgrave Hill State School, with 632 students, receives $355,831; and Labrador State School, with 670 students, receives $449,280.

Broadbeach State School has the city’s highest ICSEA rating but even it does better, claiming $458,171 – an average of $388 for each of its 1182 students.

Mr Boothman, a veteran member of parliament’s education committee, said the figures were “all over the countryside” and “don’t make any sense”, calling the issue “the great school rip-off.”

He questioned how schools could receive less than others with higher Index of Community Socio-educational Advantage (ICSEA) ratings.

However Education Minister Grace Grace, in a response to a Question on Notice in Parliament, said ICSEA ratings were not used in the calculation of I4S funding, which she conceded could vary “substantially” between schools.

“Determining I4S funding for each centre involves considering the number of students enrolled, as well as student characteristics,” Ms Grace said.

“Students attracting additional funding for centres were First Nations students, refugee students, students with disability, students with a language background other than English who are not achieving academically, and students from low socio-economic backgrounds as measured by the ABS measure Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD). ICSEA is not used in the calculation of I4S funding.

“Given the range of characteristics used to determine I4S funding for each centre, it is possible for schools with similar enrolments, or similar in one characteristic, to receive substantially different I4S funding. In addition, a commitment in place until 2022 that no school was to receive less funding than in 2015 also complicates funding comparisons, even in 2023.”

Education Minister Grace Grace. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Mr Boothman said the funding was important for providing extra resources to help struggling children. He said in many cases, fundraising by P&Cs was the only alternative if schools were left short.

“This funding is critically important for early learning,” Mr Boothman said.

“(Schools) can have extra teacher aides, can have a specialist teacher to come in seven days per fortnight to act as a mentor to other teachers, to help them with those high needs children in their classrooms.

“... you can buy additional equipment for the school to help with learning outcomes.

“It’s a proven fact that with learning difficulties, if you can’t correct it early, then those kids slip through the system. So by the time they get to Year 7, going to high school, it’s too late.”

Mr Boothman said the variation in funding across schools was “hard to fathom”.

“I just find it incredible that you have some of the wealthiest areas in the Gold Coast and Brisbane getting far more money than our good middle class areas,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education backed up Minister Grace, telling the Bulletin I4S funding levels varied “due to the characteristics of the students who are enrolled”.

“From 2023 to 2025, approximately $290 million is being allocated to Queensland state schools annually as part of the I4S program,” the spokesperson said.

“State schools use I4S funding to support students to achieve improved outcomes across all levels of schooling.

“Schools receive I4S funding in addition to the standard funding each year.

“... The difference in I4S funding from school to school is due to variances in enrolment numbers. Funding amounts differ in the per student due to the characteristics of the students who are enrolled at each school.

“The characteristics that can affect the amount per student include whether the student: is First Nations, has a disability, has a language background other than English, has an English achievement of less than C standard, is a refugee.”

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