Nine public schools in the local region will share in over $2 million in additional needs-based funding in 2015, announced by the state government yesterday.
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Member for Dubbo Electorate and Deputy Premier Troy Grant said, “It’s a significant increase in funding guaranteed into the future, with the greatest benefits flowing to schools and students with the greatest need.”
“This additional support is a result of the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government being the first to sign up to the Gonski agreement, which will deliver $5 billion in additional funding to NSW students over six years,” he said
“Schools in the region began benefiting from additional resources distributed under the new Resource Allocation Model (RAM) last year.
“The core of the Government’s Local Schools, Local Decisions reforms is to put decision-making about students and school communities with the people who know them best – the principals, school staff and parents.
“The distribution of funds on a needs basis under the RAM gives them exactly that opportunity.
“Many schools will see additional benefits in areas such as literacy and numeracy support, teachers’ professional development and community engagement.”
In 2015, the RAM features more than $664 million in needs based funding delivered through five loadings: $253 million for students from low socio-economic backgrounds; $240 million for students with low-level disability $104 million for students still developing English language proficiency; $50 million to support students from Aboriginal backgrounds; and $17 million for remote and isolated school communities.
The NSW Teachers Federation welcomed the announcement as a testament to the Gonski Funding Agreement, but President Maurie Mulheron said the federal government shouldn’t cut it short.
“Principals, teachers and parents know that the extra Gonski funding allocated to schools this year is making a real difference to students’ achievement,” he said.
“The additional increases for next year will further assist in closing the achievement gaps between students and schools, this can only be to the benefit of our society and the future prosperity of our nation.
“This announcement contrasts sharply with the position on schools funding taken by the Abbott Government.
To date, the federal Coalition has refused to commit to funding the agreement for 2018 and 2019, knowing that this would cut $1.2 billion of urgently needed funding that is due to be allocated to schools in those years.
“If the Abbott Government maintains this position in the next federal election, it will face a huge backlash from voters, from parents and teachers, from employers and community groups, from citizens everywhere, who know how important it is for governments to invest in our children’s education.”
Local schools’ total 2015 preliminary funding
- Mudgee High School - $524,471
- Gulgong High School - $353,297
- Mudgee Public school - $350,866
- Gulgong Public School - $350,737
- Cudgegong Valley Public School - $270,566
- Hargraves Public School - $89,001
- Goolma Public School - $35,094
- Lue Public School - $31,642
- Red Hill Environmental Education Centre - $647