Means-testing proposal would force parents to pay for public school: report

A RADICAL government proposal has reportedly been leaked, and it will make some parents cranky. Should they be made to pay for this?

Generic images of kids at Cambridge Gardens Public School for a story on bullying. Pictured from left to right are kindergarten kids Isabelle and Mackenzie Alexander (twins) and Jamie-Lee Sarcia.

MEANS-TESTING public education is one of the radical proposals contained in a leaked federal government discussion paper.

Asking wealthy parents to pay for their children to attend public schools is one of four options that the Abbott government has been considering as part of its green paper on federation reform, Fairfax reports.

It has circulated four reform options to state and territory governments for consideration. Another option is that it abandon funding for public schools, leaving this up to states to fund.

In response to the leaked report, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said told reporters in Canberra this morning that any change to public school funding was entirely the responsibility of states and territories.

“We have no role at all in the running of public schools, public schools are absolutely the business of the state and territory governments, and whether state or territory governments choose to change the way schools are funded in their states and territories is absolutely a matter for them,” he said.

“Obviously there is a federation reform white paper process taking place now. I think it’s good that some of the states and territories at least are thinking creatively about how they can responsibly fund their operations. But any question of how you fund public schools in terms of what contribution parents might be expected to make is absolutely a matter for the states and territories.”

Education Minister Christopher Pyne tweeted this morning that charging wealthy parents for their children to attend pubilc schools was not the policy of the government and he did not support it.

Charging wealthy parents for their children to attend public schools is not the government's policy. I don't support it. #auspoI

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) June 21, 2015

If the states and territories want to charge wealthy parents fees for public schools that's a matter for them. #auspoI

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) June 21, 2015

If the federal government did stop funding public schools, this could leave the states $2 billion a year worse off. But this would save the federal government $15 billion annually.

Other options include that the federal government only fund non-government schools, while the states and territories fund public schools. The final option is that federal funding be reduced without any significant structural change.

One of the most controversial ideas is that the Commonwealth provide all funding for schools but that this be based on needs and the ability of families to contribute, essentially introducing means-testing of families in public schools.

Under this option, state and territories would have the option to “top-up” funding to governments schools to ensure all students were able to attend for free.

The proposal follows a recommendation from a think tank last year that high-income families be charged $1000 a year to send their children to public schools.

Should wealthy families pay to send their children to public schools? Comment below

Should wealthy families pay? Picture: Elenor Tedenborg

The Australian Education Union has called on state and territory governments to reject the means-testing proposal and the federal government abandoning school funding.

“It is a fundamental right of every Australian to be able to access public schools free of charge and has been since the 19th century,” federal president Correna Haythorpe said in a statement. She said the proposals were more about privatising education than improving education outcomes for children.

Australian Council of Social Service chief executive Cassandra Goldie said there was no merit in the proposals.

“Socially it’s really important that we have everybody, regardless of your walk of life, in (public) schools,” she told ABC radio.