Langbroek insists new model will short-change schools

THE Queensland government claims costs in schools will grow well beyond the minimum 3 per cent increased funding promised.

THE Queensland government claims costs in schools will grow well beyond the minimum 3 per cent increased funding that has been promised in the next six years, deepening the split between the commonwealth and the state over the Gonski reforms.

After the federal government yesterday released details of funding levels for every state school in Queensland to counter claims 300 of them would be worse off under the new model, state Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the figures revealed 160 of them would still receive less money in 2019 than at present.

The Queensland government concedes that more than 1000 state schools will get more funding than under the existing system.

Mr Langbroek said the state government had raised funding by 4.6 per cent last year and 6.6 per cent this year, compared to the minimum 3 per cent annual rise proposed by the commonwealth.

"In two years, we've increased spending by almost four times more than what is proposed for these 160 state schools," he said.

Federal School Education Minister Peter Garrett said the figures released by Labor were based on 4.7 per cent indexation from the commonwealth and 3 per cent from the state.

The commonwealth rate of indexation is 3.9 per cent and is projected to fall to 3 per cent next year under the current model because of state government cuts.

"If the Queensland government wants to increase funding for schools by more than 3 per cent, then of course we would welcome this," Mr Garrett said.

"But the fact remains that they haven't even committed to this rate. We don't know what their indexation rates will be next year, let alone in 2019 when the new funding model is fully implemented."

The Queensland budget allocated $8.172 billion to schools in 2012-13, which is forecast to rise to $9.238bn in 2016-17, an increase of 13 per cent across the next four years. But a spokeswoman stressed the figures were highly speculative beyond next financial year.

The state argues this reflects the true rising costs in education and that state schools would otherwise expect indexation of about 3.6 per cent, disputing the projected rate based on state government spending of 2.9 per cent.

By contrast, the minimum state indexation rate under the federal reforms translates to a rate of 12.55 per cent across the next four years and 19.4 per cent by 2019. In addition, the commonwealth has committed to increase its schools budget by 4.7 per cent. Under the federal plan, there is no barrier in the model to a state increasing funding at a higher rate and it can set the pace of increased funding.

In South Australia, where the Labor government is widely expected to sign up to the reforms, Premier Jay Weatherill is at loggerheads with independent and Catholic schools over a lag in state funding, which sits well below the national average.

Mr Weatherill said funding for the sectors would be brought into line with the national average only when Gonski was fully implemented in 2018-19.