May 16 2019

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES

Visit our election webpage for more information about Catholic education, school funding and other election issues.

Catholic Education welcomes major commitments

Catholic Education welcomes the commitments to Catholic schools from both major parties during this election campaign.

The Coalition and Labor’s announcements reflect the standing of Catholic schools across the country and our role as significant partners with government in delivering quality education.

Significant election announcements that will benefit Catholic schools include:

• The Coalition’s $4.3 billion extra funding (from a total $4.6b) for Catholic schools, which Labor will match
• Labor’s $1.75b National Preschool and Kindy Program, including a $100m "facilitation fund" which Catholic schools can access to expand and build new preschools

• A commitment to ongoing indexation of capital funding – to match funding dollar for dollar
• A commitment from both parties to religious freedom, with both major parties stating that people who are employees of an organisation must faithfully represent the values of that organisation

Once the election is over, Catholic Education will continue to advocate for Australia’s 1750 Catholic schools, to support them in providing quality teaching and learning opportunities to our students.

Catholic Education will also ensure that Catholic schools remain affordable for Australian families, so they have a genuine choice about the best school for their children.

Jacinta Collins
National executive director, Catholic Education

Look both ways before you vote

Here’s our quick traffic light guide to the three major parties and their positions on education.

Funding policies of the major parties

The outcome of this Saturday’s election will be critical for families with children in our Catholic schools.

While there will always be many issues for you to consider when deciding your vote, of primary importance to Catholic Education is the ongoing affordability of our schools to families who seek a Catholic schooling for their children.

We therefore urge you to consider the education funding polices of major parties in deciding who to support this election.

Liberal-National Coalition and the Australian Labor Party education funding policies

The Liberal-National Coalition have committed to increase Australian Government funding for Catholic school students by an average of 3.8% per student each year to 2029. In addition, Catholic education will be receive over $700 million at a national level from the government’s Choice and Affordability Fund over the next 10 years to support transitional arrangements in schools and to improve student wellbeing and performance.

Labor has committed to matching the total funding amount Catholic schools will receive over the same time period.

Both the Coalition and Labor have also committed to an estimated $890 million in capital funding for non-government schools over the next five years.

Australian Greens education funding policies

In their education policy advice to Catholic Education, the Greens have said that they believe “that federal funding to the school education system should be on the basis of need and equity to ensure that all Australian children have the opportunity to fulfil their best educational outcomes”.

The Greens’ federal policy platform of May 2018, available on their website, makes it clear that the Greens' education policy aims to redirect federal funding away from some Catholic schools, stating that the “…growth in federal funding to non-government schools has had an adverse impact on public education”.

On top of this, in October last year, Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale told Fairfax Media in reference to Catholic education, that “it’s only a matter of time before they seek to leech more money from our public school system”.

There is a chance that the Greens could hold significant influence in the next Senate, which could put the Catholic education funding commitments from the Coalition and Labor at risk.

When you go to the ballot box this Saturday, and you balance what’s really important to you and your children, please remember the need for education policies that will ensure fair, secure, ongoing and community-building education funding for local Catholic schools like yours.

Catholic schools ready to sign up to Labor’s capital fund for preschools

Catholic Early Learning Centre, Greystanes. Photo: Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta

Catholic Education welcomes Labor’s $100 million facilitation fund to build and expand preschools across the country, as part of its $1.75 billion National Preschool and Kindy Program, and their commitment to make this capital fund available to Catholic schools, which are significant partners with government in delivering quality early education.

National executive director Jacinta Collins said the Catholic sector operates more than 250 early childhood education services across the country, educating close to 5,000 children, with most services located onsite with Catholic primary schools.

Labor Shadow Minister Terri Butler told a forum of Catholic school parents in Brisbane on Tuesday evening that she strongly supported Catholic schools accessing Labor’s $100 million capital for preschools  fund. 

The $100 million fund is on top of Labor’s ongoing commitment to four year old kinder and its election announcement to extend preschool funding to all three year olds.

“Catholic Education is ready and keen to participate in Labor’s program and to access the $100m capital fund to create more early childhood education places,” Ms Collins said.

“We strongly support Labor’s National Preschool and Kindy Program because it recognises the enormous benefits for children of early learning.

“Catholic schools are excited at the opportunity to expand their early childhood education services. Co-locating preschools at Catholic primary schools makes life easier for parents and allows kinder kids to be involved in the school community.”

In its election responses to Catholic Education, Labor stated its commitment to respecting parent choice and that it would work with states and territories and the non-government sector to deliver the $1.75b National Preschool and Kindy Program.

Labor said it wanted to ensure all children could access preschool in every setting (government and non-government schools, community run preschools, long day care centres) and that “parent choice is respected”.

News: Union report ‘cherry picks’ school funding data

The teachers’ union has been accused of running a misleading campaign around school funding, including cherry picking data to back up its contention that Catholic schools receive more government support than public schools.

According to The Australian, the Australian Education Union, which has been actively campaigning against the Coalition’s re-election, yesterday released analysis of school funding data, claiming independent schools attracted more than 40 per cent more annual income than government schools, while the Catholic system attracted four per cent more.

It also singled out five electorates in Victoria, claiming up to a $1322 gap per student between the combined commonwealth and state funding of Catholic and government schools.

“When Catholic schools are getting more state and federal government funding than public schools you know how unfair the system has become,” said AEU president Correna Haythorpe.

However the union’s analysis was criticised by the Catholic system and a leading independent analyst for conflating government funds with fees paid by parents.

According to the AEU, independent schools’ net recurrent funding in 2017 was $19,966 per student, compared with $14,198 per public school student, which includes school fees as well as deductions for future capital projects and debt servicing.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria acting executive director Jim Miles accused the union of “cherry picking simplistic school data from marginal, Coalition-held seats…The AEU’s basic ‘analysis’ ignores the individual circumstances of the school communities in focus.”

Centre for Independent Studies education research fellow Blaise Joseph said the AEU’s figures were “very misleading” and failed to acknowledge state and territory governments had the main responsibility for funding government schools.

“If people are alleging that Victorian government schools are seriously ‘underfunded’ … they should be blaming the Victorian government,” he said. “If independent schools have significantly more recurrent and capital income than government schools, this is because parents have freely chosen to invest more of their own money into their children’s education. In no way is this gap the responsibility of the federal government.”

The AEU has also been prosecuting a claim that the Coalition cut $14.1 billion from public education. The claim has been labelled as “misleading” by RMIT ABC Fact Check, given it was based on a “hypothetical future spending projection” promised by the prior Labor government.

Our analysis

This week, the AEU has been highlighting differences in ‘per student’ funding between Catholic and public schools in marginal seats, implying there is favouritism towards Catholic schools.

Let’s be crystal clear: Governments do not decide how much funding each school receives. Governments fund all students in all not-for-profit schools in all sectors according to the same formula. A lump sum is then provided to the relevant ‘system authority’ for each sector (such as a Catholic Education Commission) in each state and territory. The sectors then resource each school based on the number of students enrolled and their needs.

A key part of the formula is that government funding for non-government schools is reduced according to parents' ability to pay fees. This reduction doesn't happen in public schools - so there is no way that a non-government school can attract more government funding than a similar-sized government school with similar student needs.

The comparisons provided to media by the AEU are very selective and misleading because they compare small Catholic schools with large public schools. Smaller schools cost more to run than larger schools, whether they are government or non-government schools, because all schools have fixed costs such as a principal, a librarian, etc which have to be met whether they are funded for 100 students or 1000 students.

For example, the AEU targeted the marginal seat of Gilmore to say that St Mary's Star of the Sea received more government funding ($17,811 per student) than neighbouring Milton Public School ($11,055) in 2017. What they didn’t say is that Milton Public had 698 students that year and 50.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff while Star of the Sea had only 128 students and 16.3 FTE staff.

These big funding differences also happen between neighbouring public schools – but the AEU isn’t keen on highlighting those. The AEU could have compared the two public primary schools in Nowra North (also in the seat of Gilmore). Illaroo Rd Public School received $10,468 per student, while Nowra North Public School received $17,377 per student. Why? Because Illaroo Rd PS has 526 students while Nowra North PS has just 199 students.

There are many similar examples across the country. Canterbury Boys High School received $18,099 per student while Canterbury Girls High received $13,425. The girls' school has more than twice as many students as the boys’ school (746 v 348).

Beauty Point Public School in Mosman received $11,054 per student (302 students) while neighbouring Mosman Public School receives $8,961 per student (692 students).

It is nonsensical therefore for the AEU to only complain about differences in funding between public and non-government schools when there are similar or even larger differences between neighbouring public schools.

It is also misleading for the AEU to claim that non-government schools get 80 per cent of the schools resourcing standard in federal funding while public schools only get 20 per cent without saying that the reverse also applies - government schools get 80 per cent of their SRS from their state/territory governments while non-government schools get 20 per cent.

For more information on how Catholic schools are funded download our Facts on School Funding explainer.

News: Making an informed choice when you vote

The Conversation has put together a handy summary on the policy differences and promises made by the Coalition and Labor in the lead-up to the federal election this Saturday.

The online paper urgers voters before casting their votes, to look past the “dollar signs, and think about how each party is shaping an education system that will deliver quality learning for all Australians, from all kinds of backgrounds, from childhood through to adulthood”.

“The Coalition has delivered needs-based funding for schools and promises a greater focus on regional and rural students in all sectors. But there are some apparent gaps in early learning and tertiary policy and funding,” the article reads.

“Labor has pledged more funding in all sectors. It has made a prominent commitment to early childhood education and care. However, Labor’s policies are expensive and would need to be implemented effectively to make sure they achieve the intended outcomes for students and deliver the financial benefit to the economy in the long-term.”

For more information and to view The Conversation’s interactive policy guide click here

Queensland parent forums highlight election issues

Candidates Jo Briskey, Barbara Bell and Ross Vasta

Last week, candidates from the three major parties attended a Federal Election Parent Forum at Iona College in the north-eastern Brisbane suburb of Lindum.

The forum attended by over 50 Catholic school parents, students and staff was hosted by Catholic School Parents Queensland (CSPQ) which had organised similar events in a number of electorates across the state.

Ross Vasta from the Liberal National Party, Jo Briskey from the Australian Labor Party and Barbara Bell from the Greens addressed the forum and took questions from the floor on a range of issues including school funding, early childhood education, road safety, teacher quality, the environment and the Greens’ policy on funding of Catholic schools.

CSPQ executive director Carmel Nash said the forums were a valuable opportunity for local Catholic school communities.

“These forums provided an opportunity not only for parents, but for staff and students to understand where the major candidates stand on issues that are important for Catholic schools,” Ms Nash said. “It also helps build an understanding and appreciation of the contribution that Catholic school communities make to Australian society.”

Parent forums were also held in the lead-up to election in the Brisbane, Dickson, Petrie, Griffith, Moreton, Lilley, Herbert and Capricornia electorates.

Over 50 parents, student and staff attended the forum

Bill Shorten visits St Joseph’s

Opposition leader Bill Shorten swamped by St Joseph’s students and the media on a recent visit

On Monday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited St Joseph’s College in East Gosford, sending students into a frenzy not seen since the pre-selfie days of Paul Keating’s 1996 visit to OLMC in Parramatta.

After the exuberant welcome, Mr Shorten addressed students from Years 11 and 12 and was asked about a range of issues including climate change and gender equality.

According to News.com.au, Mr Shorten told students he supported quotas for women and dismissed concerns that men might miss out on positions on merit.

“Of course people should get there by merit but not everybody starts a race at the same starting spot,” he said.

On climate change, Mr Shorten outlined some of his party’s policies including support for renewables, to get large companies to offset their pollution and support for electric cars.

“When many of you started school … back then we were talking about new measures to tackle climate change, and we’ve really stood still for 12 years,” Mr Shorten said.

“I genuinely believe that the Liberals have to lose an election, to learn that climate change is real.”

Mr Shorten addresses Year 11 and 12 students

Coalition’s plan for education to deliver record funding

The Coalition has promised record funding for education with a focus on student results and outcomes.

In a media release from the Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan the Coalition said it will “ensure that every Australian, no matter where they live, has access to a world-class education”.

“We are providing a record $21.4 billion for state schools, Catholic schools and Independent schools which is a 66 per cent increase since we came to government.

“We understand that strong reading and writing skills are the foundation of a successful education,” Mr Tehan said.

“That is why we will invest $10.8 million to provide a voluntary phonics health check for every Year 1 student so parents and teachers can be confident their children are not falling behind. We will also ensure that trainee teachers learn how to teach phonics as part of their university degree to ensure they can teach phonics in the classroom.

“We will also back our teachers so they can focus on teaching by developing a strategy to tackle the abuse of teachers in the classroom and conducting a review to cut red tape,” he said.

The Coalition also promised to invest an additional $15 million for Teach for Australia to train high achieving teachers who will become high quality school leaders in rural, remote or disadvantaged schools.

Reflection

“Today’s media environment is so pervasive as to be indistinguishable from the sphere of everyday life. The Net is a resource of our time. It is a source of knowledge and relationships that were once unthinkable. However, in terms of the profound transformations technology has brought to bear on the process of production, distribution and use of content, many experts also highlight the risks that threaten the search for, and sharing of, authentic information on a global scale. If the Internet represents an extraordinary possibility of access to knowledge, it is also true that it has proven to be one of the areas most exposed to disinformation and to the conscious and targeted distortion of facts and interpersonal relationships, which are often used to discredit…The present context calls on all of us to invest in relationships, and to affirm the interpersonal nature of our humanity, including in and through the network. All the more so, we Christians are called to manifest that communion which marks our identity as believers. Faith itself, in fact, is a relationship, an encounter; and under the impetus of God’s love, we can communicate, welcome and understand the gift of the other and respond to it.” – Pope Francis, 53rd World Communications Day Message

Next week’s edition

• Your Vote – The new Australian Government and what it means for Catholic education
• Federal election wash up

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the articles within this publication are those of the authors and commentators. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the National Catholic Education Commission, its Commissioners or employees, unless expressly mentioned.