More than a decade after the Gonski reforms, Australia’s school funding model remains central to the debate over educational fairness.
But is the system delivering the resources students need to succeed, or simply meeting the minimum standard?
Paul Mondo examines the Schooling Resource Standard, equity loadings and the challenge of funding aspiration.
Independent Consultant and Strategic Advisor Pete Goss joins Early Years Dialogue to unpack how school funding works, from government accountability and NAPLAN benchmarks to enrolment figures and the changing expectations placed on families.
The discussion explores whether the model has improved learning outcomes and whether funding is being directed where it can make the greatest difference.
With early childhood education advocates calling for ECEC to be funded like schools, the conversation turns to what the sector can learn from the existing system.
What should early learning adopt, and what risks come with importing a school funding model?
The challenge is ensuring funding supports better outcomes for children, not just a financial framework.
For more information, visit Australia Childcare Alliance
