Giddings looks to rewrite Gonski model

TASMANIA is seeking to change the Gonski school funding rules to allow more money to flow to public schools.

TASMANIA is seeking to change the Gonski school funding rules to allow more money to flow to public schools, stripping millions of dollars from independent and religious schools.

"We need to close the gap between the best and worst educational outcomes and I want to ensure the package is focused on giving a hand up to schools that face the greatest challenges," Premier Lara Giddings said.

Ms Giddings's stance has concerned non-government schools, which say any change to the model would be unfair and out of step with the spirit and intent of the $9.8 billion Gonski reforms.

The Catholic Education Office and Independent Schools Tasmania are seeking urgent meetings with Ms Giddings and want a written guarantee that she will not seek to rewrite the funding model.

IST executive director Tony Crehan said there was no justification for changing the model, which used loadings to ensure disadvantaged students were aided regardless of the sector in which they were schooled.

"To the extent that independent schools in Tasmania have the same disadvantages, then I think they are entitled to the allocated share of the additional money, based on the Gonski model," Mr Crehan said.

"I don't see that there should be any change to that to divert money away into the government sector."

To date only the NSW government has signed an agreement with the commonwealth.

The Labor governments of South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT are expected to reach agreement in coming weeks while the Queensland and Victorian Coalition governments are continuing negotiations with the commonwealth in defiance of federal Coalition threats to overturn any agreement.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman will write to Julia Gillard by the end of the month outlining his government's concerns about the funding plan but is seeking a compromise over the amount the state must contribute.

Victorian Education Minister Martin Dixon said the government was continuing discussions to clarify its concerns over the details of the funding model and had said from day one it would discuss reform "in good faith".

The NSW government yesterday remained mute following Tony Abbott's budget reply speech in which the Opposition Leader refused to back the school funding reforms.

Mr Abbott reiterated his stance yesterday, saying the recommendations requiring an extra $6.5bn a year to be invested in schools "just isn't going to happen".

"The best thing to do for schools is to continue the existing system, finetune it and then sit down with the states for the kind of discussion this government is incapable of and work out where we can make meaningful change," Mr Abbott said.

Ms Giddings's determination to focus the $400m to flow to Tasmania under Gonski on struggling public schools -- rather than disadvantaged students in all sectors -- appears to be holding up a deal with Canberra.

Ms Gillard, in Hobart yesterday, suggested the Gonski model was not up for negotiation, noting it had already been embraced by the biggest school system in the nation, NSW.

"We are having good and constructive discussions with the Tasmanian government on making sure that every school in Tasmania has the resources it needs. But the model is clear and the model is there for all to see," Ms Gillard said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING:

CHIP LE GRAND, ROSIE BARRETT, JUSTINE FERRARI