Queensland investing less in state school students than every other state, except Victoria

Queensland public school students have been receiving thousands of dollars less in state government funding than their interstate counterparts, data reveals.

The federal government ended a 19-month stand-off with Queensland over state school funding with a promise to boost its contribution, but the deal would come with conditions.

Premier David Crisafulli joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday morning to spruik the agreement.

Premier David Crisafulli and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announce the new school funding deal in Canberra.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Data shows the Queensland government invested less money in schools per student in 2023 than any other state or territory except Victoria.

Queensland state school students received $18,440 per student from the state and Commonwealth combined in 2023, compared with a national average of $18,669, the National Report on Schooling in Australia shows.

The Queensland government contributed $14,355 per student, less than every other state and territory, except Victoria.

Schools also get funding from other sources, including fees and contributions. When adding those to the total government funding, Queensland’s state school students each received $19,269 on average in 2023.

Queensland’s Catholic schools, meanwhile, received $15,827 per student in total government funding that year – but when combined with other income from fees and donations, that jumped to $21,789.

The state’s independent school students got $14,232 each from the government funding, but when combined with other income sources it worked out to $24,942 per student on average.

Queensland state schools will get an extra $2.8 billion over 10 years under the new federal funding agreement.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare had previously offered to fund state schools to 22.5 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard – the funding standard identified in the landmark 2011 Gonski report – requiring the states to pay the rest.

But Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Queensland held out for 25 per cent.

Queensland was the last hold out.

Crisafulli said he had brought forward some state funding to “secure the deal”.

“We’ve underinvested in public education as a state for too long, and this was an opportunity too good to miss,” he said.

The new funding is tied to a series of initiatives in Queensland state schools, such as phonics checks for year 1 students. Queensland students will also undergo early numeracy checks. The package will also cover initiatives to improve the attraction and retention of teachers and reduce teacher workload.

The funding comes with new targets, including increasing the proportion of students leaving school with a year 12 certificate by 2030, and boosting the proportion of students in the “strong” and “exceeding” proficiency for reading and numeracy by 10 per cent.

The Queensland Teachers Union and Australian Education Union welcomed the funding deal.

“Now the union turns its attention to negotiating the next wage agreement for teachers and school leaders with the state government,” the QTU said in a statement.

“Key issues include the teacher shortage crisis, occupational violence and aggression, unmanageable workload and red tape, as well as an overarching lack of respect for the role of educators.”

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