Education union 'blindsided' by ACT public school budget shake-up

Public schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) are bracing for a significant budget shake-up next year, as a revised funding calculation method is set to reduce budgets for a number of institutions. This change stems from an independent review of public school resourcing, which identified a need to prioritize equity and student needs more effectively.

Jo Wood, ACT Education Director-General, explained that the review highlighted financial pressures, particularly in primary schools, while the existing funding formula gave greater weight to older students. "The independent review found one of the pressures on the system and one of the equity issues was the higher weighting that's given to the per-student funding depending on the stage of schooling," Wood stated. "So for example, primary schools get a lower per-student amount than, say, a college."

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The independent review found one of the pressures on the system and one of the equity issues was the higher weighting that's given to the per-student funding depending on the stage of schooling. So for example, primary schools get a lower per-student amount than, say, a college.

As an initial step for 2027, the directorate is commissioning a broader review of the funding formula but has made a "small adjustment" to the weighting for colleges to improve funding distribution. The impact varies across schools: 18 will experience a funding decrease of more than 5%, 31 will see an increase exceeding 5%, and 43 schools will receive roughly the same funding as in 2026.

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The scale of it, and the way that it's being implemented, is very unexpected. It could be whole programs that have to go. It could be a performing arts program that's no longer viable, or a language education program that's no longer viable. It's a significant financial adjustment that college principals need to make, and a very short turnaround time to get ready for 2027.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) ACT branch president, Angela Burroughs, expressed concern, stating that some schools felt "blindsided" by the scale and rapid implementation of these changes. "It could be whole programs that have to go. It could be a performing arts program that's no longer viable, or a language education program that's no longer viable," Burroughs warned, emphasizing the significant financial adjustments and short turnaround time for principals.

Veronica Elliott, executive officer of ACT Parents, echoed the surprise, noting that the changes could affect staffing and course offerings at colleges. This is particularly concerning as students have already enrolled and submitted preferences for 2027, relying on the breadth of courses currently available.

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The ACT college system is highly valued by families because of the breadth and diversity of courses and pathways available to students. We support the objective of greater equity across public education, but changes to college resourcing could affect staffing and the courses colleges are able to offer next year.