The National School Reform Agreement is a joint agreement between the Commonwealth, States and Territories to lift student outcomes across Australian schools.
Reflecting the long-standing practice of collaboration between all governments to deliver school education, the Agreement sets out 8 national policy initiatives against 3 reform directions that all parties have agreed to implement across the 5 years to December 2023.
On 29 March 2023, the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education announced the Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System (the Review) to advise on what reform priorities should be included in the next agreement. To allow for the Review to take place, the current Agreement was extended for 12 months to 31 December 2024.
The Variation Agreement extending the National School Reform Agreement was finalised on 6 December 2023.
The Agreement has been informed by the findings and recommendations of:
- the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools
- the Independent Review of Regional, Rural and Remote Education
- the Optimising STEM Industry-School Partnerships report of the STEM Partnerships Forum.
Further detail on the Agreement is in the National School Reform Agreement fact sheet and the national policy initiatives fact sheets.
National Policy Initiatives fact sheets
- A(i) and A(ii): Online Formative Assessment Initiative
- A(iii): Review of senior secondary pathways
- B(i): Reviewing teacher workforce needs
- B(ii): Strengthening the initial teacher education accreditation system
- C(i): National Unique Student Identifier for school students
- C(ii): Australian Education Research Organisation
- C(iii): Improving national data quality
Annual Reports on progress in implementing the national policy initiatives
Bilateral Agreements
States and territories are also required to have a bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth that sets out state-specific actions to improve student outcomes. Bilateral agreements include activities that support particular student cohorts such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students in regional, rural and remote areas, students with disability and students from a low-SES background.
As part of the 12-month extension, the Bilateral Agreements were also extended to 31 December 2024. The Variation Agreements extending the Bilateral Agreements are included at the links below.
- Australian Capital Territory – extension signed on 30 November 2023
- New South Wales – extension signed 11 December 2023
- Northern Territory – extension signed 27 November 2023
- Queensland – extension signed 29 November 2023
- South Australia – extension signed 28 November 2023
- Tasmania – extension signed 4 December 2023
- Victoria – extension signed 4 December 2023
- Western Australia – extension signed 28 November 2023
Bilateral agreements also set out minimum state and territory funding contribution requirements as a condition of receiving Commonwealth school funding. Reporting guidance has been developed to assist states and territories to report on their funding contributions.
Information on implementation of the state-specific actions can be found in the annual progress reports below.
2022 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2022 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2022 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2022 Progress Report
- Queensland 2022 Progress Report
- South Australia 2022 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2022 Progress Report
- Victoria 2022 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2022 Progress Report
2021 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2021 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2021 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2021 Progress Report
- Queensland 2021 Progress Report
- South Australia 2021 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2021 Progress Report
- Victoria 2021 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2021 Progress Report
2020 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2020 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2020 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2020 Progress Report
- Queensland 2020 Progress Report
- South Australia 2020 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2020 Progress Report
- Victoria 2020 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2020 Progress Report
2019 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2019 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2019 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2019 Progress Report
- Queensland 2019 Progress Report
- South Australia 2019 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2019 Progress Report
- Victoria 2019 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2019 Progress Report
Further information can be found in the Quality Schools frequently asked questions.