The Federal Government has committed to the $9.8 billion in school funding over the next six years in this weeks budget, forming part of the Government’s attempt to see Australian schools break into the world’s top five by 2025 under the National Plan for School Improvement.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that the funding will deliver better indexation and reforms to lift student achievement, and represents the single largest change to the nation’s school funding policy in over 40 years.

Ms Gillard has confirmed that investment will increase ear by year throughout the six year period of the agreement.

“We need the National Plan for School Improvement. To ensure every Australian student gets the great education they deserve, no matter where they go to school. The National Plan for School Improvement will focus reforms on quality teaching, quality learning, meeting student need, empowered school leadership, and accountability and transparency,” Ms Gillard said in a statement earlier this week.

While negotiations with states and territories continue, Ms Gillard has courted criticism from the nation’s universities, who have had $2.6 billion in funding stripped from them to cover the Gonski reforms.

The Plan includes:

  • professional standards, annual performance assessments and ongoing training and support for teachers;
  • more individual support for students, including through intensive early years intervention in reading;
  • more local decision making for school principals, supported by experts; and
  • more information than ever before for parents, and stronger partnerships with communities to support higher student achievement.