Federal Government private schools funding scheme changes

Millions in Federal funding will be slashed from top Victorian private schools and given to suburban colleges, many of them religious. SEE THE FULL LIST.

Bacchus Marsh Grammar principal Bruce Simons said his school would miss out on about $17.8 million by 2029.

Millions of dollars will be stripped from prestigious city-based colleges in favour of some outer suburban private schools in growth areas, new figures show.

A new financial model will see schools funded by the federal government according to their parents’ median family income rather than the socio-economic status of the areas they live in.

But the move is controversial, with some regional and outer-metro schools claiming losses of up to $17 million over the next eight years.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal schools such as Sirius College, spread across outer suburbs such as Broadmeadows, Dallas and Sunshine, will go from $32 million this year to $43 million in 2029.

Beaconhills College in Pakenham and Ilim College in Dallas will each go from around $29 million to $38 million, Senate Estimates figures obtained by the Herald Sun show.

But analysts say they will receive less than they might under the current model.

The new model will see leading city institutions such as Penleigh and Essendon Grammar — which currently gets $18 million in federal funds — receive $16.5 million by 2029.

Other schools such as Haileybury College, Girton Grammar, Melbourne Grammar, Brighton Grammar and Geelong Grammar will see their 2029 funding stall at 2021 levels.

Bacchus Marsh Grammar associate principal Bruce Simons said his school would cumulatively lose $17.8 million by 2029 and then $4.8 million a year from 2029.

“The school has made the decision to reduce from 12 prep classes to eight in 2022 due to these funding cuts,” he said.

“We are a low-fee charging school — maximum of $10,000 — while some schools which are charging $35,000 do not lose a cent.

“Parents’ choice and affordability of the school that best meets the education needs of their children are being compromised.

“There is a precedent for capping funding losses that should be extended to outer metro and regional schools.”

Stephen Higgs, chairman of the Coalition of Regional Independent Schools Australia, said his schools would lose $760 per student compared to $287 for metro schools.

A lack of redress would lead to fee increases, program cuts and funding losses.

The share of money for 498 Catholic schools will increase by $700 million by 2029 to $2.9 billion.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Jim Miles said the new model was fairer because “disadvantaged families living in higher SES suburbs or communities were particularly impacted by the previous SES model”.

Save Our Schools commentator Trevor Cobbold said funding for private schools should be compared to funding for public schools which cater for a much higher proportion of low SES students.