On Tuesday, 19 November 2024, the Australian and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) governments have signed a groundbreaking Bilateral Agreement to deliver more Commonwealth funding to public schools in the ACT.
The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement commits the Australian Government to increasing its funding to ACT public schools by 2.5 percent of the School Resourcing Standard (SRS), reaching 22.5 percent by 2026. Under this agreement, the Australian Government will contribute an additional $110.5 million to ACT public schools between 2025 and 2029, bringing total funding for ACT public education to over $1 billion across the five years.
Additional Commonwealth funding will be tied to reforms in the Bilateral Agreement, including Year 1 phonics checks and early numeracy checks, in-school Literacy and Numeracy Coaches, improved access to mental health workers for students, and workforce initiatives focused on teacher attraction, retention and workload reduction.
The ACT Government is the fourth state or territory to sign the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement with the Commonwealth, increasing funding to public schools and introducing targeted reforms which will help students in the ACT catch up, keep up and finish school.
To find out more, read Minister Clare’s media release