Toowoomba Grammar, Fairholme and Concordia College face funding cuts due to change in Federal Government methodology

Some of Toowoomba’s top private schools face cuts to their public funding over the next eight years, in a move that is expected to “disproportionately” affect regional areas.

From left: Concordia Lutheran College, Toowoomba Grammar and Fairholme College.

THREE of Toowoomba’s most prestigious private schools will have their funding cut as part of changes to the Australian Government’s model that calculates public contributions.

Fairholme College, Toowoomba Grammar School and Concordia Lutheran College are among 70 Queensland schools set to have their incomes slashed by about $375m over the next eight years.

The change to the government’s methodology involves moving from a socio-economic status score based on the area where students lived and towards a direct measure of income (DMI) system.

While the Department of Education, Skills and Employment says the calculation gives a more “accurate estimation” of a community’s capacity to pay for fees, Independent Schools Queensland argues the model disproportionately hurts schools in regional areas.

Toowoomba Grammar headmaster John Kinniburgh echoed the sentiment, but said schools had known about the changes for some time.

“Regional schools, including Toowoomba Grammar School, will face additional challenges as a result of the changes to independent schools’ funding,” he said.

“This is something that we have been anticipating for some time and our forward financial planning reflects this.

“TGS has a strong and vibrant community and commits to providing a high standard of education, pastoral care and co-curricular opportunities for our students.”

Fairholme business manager Mark Freeman said boarding schools had been particularly affected, adding that parents should not be concerned.

“That’s particularly true for boarding schools, and as Fairholme is the largest all-girl boarding school in Queensland, it will be affected,” he said.

“There are transitional arrangements to mitigate the drop in funding, and schools like us continue to work through ISQ in seeking some further transitional arrangements to manage the drop in funding.”

“I don’t think parents need to be concerned.”

A department spokesman said the DMI method would add an extra $3.2b in funding to schools across the country between now and 2029.

Concordia College was contacted for comment, as were Groom MP Garth Hamilton and Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio.