Download PDFINVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN OUR SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN OUR SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN OUR SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................... 2
PART 2 DELIVERING FOR STATE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ............................................ 2
PART 3 $300 MILLION FOR CATHOLIC AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ............................. 3
COSTINGS SUMMARY ................................................ 4
Investing in Our Schools: A Billion Dollar Investment in our School Infrastructure 1
PART 1 INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN OUR SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE
As a result of the Coalition Government’s competent and focused economic management over the last 8 years, the Australian Government’s budget is in a strong position and the states and territories are experiencing strong revenue growth, including from GST revenue.
The Coalition will invest $1.0 billion from its surplus to restore and build Australia’s school buildings and grounds. This is addition to the $1.5 billion already committed over the forward estimates for all schools, bringing our total commitment to school capital works to $2.5 billion over the forward estimates.
Of this additional $1 billion investment, $700 million will be spent on high priority public school infrastructure. This investment is needed because the states have allowed their public school infrastructure to deteriorate seriously over many years.
The remaining $300 million will be spent on high priority infrastructure projects in less well-off Catholic and Independent schools where the ability of parents to fully fund desperately needed infrastructure is limited.
This new $1.0 billion initiative will restore and build Australia’s schooling infrastructure - infrastructure that is needed for current and future generations.
PART 2 DELIVERING FOR STATE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
Our $700 million investment in state school buildings and facilities will be additional to the $1.1 billion that the Coalition has already committed over the next four years to state and territory governments to support state school infrastructure.
This additional funding will be administered and delivered by the Australian Government. The funds will be provided directly to schools to support capital projects school communities have identified.
We will be asking school parent committees in conjunction with their school principal to apply for funding for high priority projects that will enhance the educational amenity of their school. The school community will determine its priority projects, but examples of projects
Investing in Our Schools: A Billion Dollar Investment in our School Infrastructure 2
that will be funded include: classroom improvements, library resources, computer facilities, air-conditioning and heating, outdoor shade structures, playing fields, sporting infrastructure, play equipment, floor coverings, security measures and amenity refurbishments.
Projects of this nature are often desperately needed by school communities, but never seem to make it on the priority list of state education bureaucracies.
A re-elected Coalition Government will work with peak school parent groups and principal organisations to determine the precise guidelines for funding projects under this initiative.
The Department of Education, Science and Training will make recommendations to the Government regarding grants within these guidelines. Parent representatives, community members and principal organisations will also be involved in this process.
The Coalition will be vigilant in ensuring that our additional investment into state schools does not result in any diminution in investment by state and territory governments.
The Coalition will require audited records from state and territory governments (conducted by a Commonwealth appointed auditor) to ensure that they at least maintain their current capital investment in real terms.
PART 3 $300 MILLION FOR CATHOLIC AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
Of the $1.0 billion committed under this initiative, $300 million will be invested in less well-off Catholic and Independent schools. This is in addition to the $400 million already committed for capital infrastructure in needy non-government schools over the next four years.
This additional funding will be administered by the non-government school authorities that currently administer federal capital grants - the “Block Grant Authorities”. The Block Grant Authorities comprise representatives of Catholic and Independent schools.
As currently occurs, school communities will determine their priority projects for funding and apply directly to the Block Grant Authorities. The Block Grant Authorities prioritise projects primarily on the basis of the school’s relative educational disadvantage as assessed by a combination of indicators including the school’s SES score, the number of isolated or special needs students and health and safety issues.
Investing in Our Schools: A Billion Dollar Investment in our School Infrastructure 3
Investing in Our Schools: A Billion Dollar Investment in our School Infrastructure
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COSTINGS SUMMARY
Investing in Our Schools 2004-05
$m
2005-06 $m 2006-07 $m
2007-08 $m Total $m
Investing in Our Schools 50 325.0 325.0 300.0 1000.0
TOTAL 50 325.0 325.0 300.0 1000.0