Victorian 2008 Budget

The Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV) believes that, in a state where the cost of education is increasing as a result of the Victorian Government’s policy decisions, the Victorian Government is not ‘taking action so all children get the best start in life no matter where they live’.  AISV further believes that a Budget that only seeks ‘to ensure that our government schools give young Victorians the high quality learning experiences they need’ is unacceptable.

On Tuesday 6 May 2008, the Victorian Treasurer, Mr John Lenders, delivered the 2008-2009 Budget. In his speech to Parliament, Treasurer Lenders stated that ‘along with initiatives funded in this budget, these developments will help to ensure that our government schools give young Victorians the high quality learning experiences they need to make their way in a rapidly changing world’.

The Budget indicated that the Victorian Government expects that funding for non-government schools will rise to $435 million in 2008-09 as a result of inflation and enrolment growth. However, none of the new funding programmes announced by Treasurer Lenders provide additional assistance for Catholic and independent schools. In addition, the Victorian Government has also cancelled its Internet Connections for Non-Government Schools Programme.

Schools Funding

$765.7 million was allocated in the Budget to school education initiatives. This included:

Government school capital upgrades

As part of the Victorian Government’s election commitment to allocate $1.9 billion over four years to upgrade every government school in Victoria, the 2008-2009 Budget has allocated $592.3 million for capital upgrades in government schools. The package includes:

• $171.3 million as part of the previously-announced public-private partnerships to construct 11 schools in Melbourne’s growth areas;
• $123.9 million for upgrades and renovations in 25 government schools, with a priority given to technical wings;
• $30 million to purchase land for the establishment of new schools in the future;
• $29 million to construct five new schools in Melbourne’s growth corridors;
• $26 million to construct environmentally-friendly classrooms;
• $20 million to establish the previously-announced science school at Monash University; and
• $19 million to construct the two selective-entry schools in Berwick and Wyndham Vale.

Targeted support for schools

In order to support the introduction of the Blueprint for Early Childhood Development and School Reform, the Budget has provided $71.4 million for ‘more targeted support to schools to help lift the performance of students and provide incentives for a high-achieving teacher workforce’.

The package will include: incentives for teachers to work in government schools with the greatest need, the introduction of partnership arrangements between high-performing and low-performing schools, the provision of professional development for teachers, principals and school councils in areas of identified need and the employment of 67 School Improvement Leaders to work intensively with under-performing government schools.

The Minister for Education, Ms Bronwyn Pike, indicated that government schools to receive assistance through the package would be identified using indicators including academic data, parent surveys and student engagement and wellbeing indicators.

Other schools funding

The Budget has also provided:

• $33.2 million over four years to employ 70 additional student support services officers and ten support coordinators for students with special learning needs. It is unlikely that these services will be made available to non-government schools;
• $22.1 million over four years to continue the Literacy Improvement Teams Programme, under which 60 literacy specialists provide support to government schools to improve students’ reading and writing skills;
• $7.6 million over four years to encourage ‘outstanding’ graduates to become teachers in areas of need in government schools;
• $7.3 million in 2008-09 for Vocational Education and Training in government schools;
• $7.0 million to purchase computers for government schools; and
• $2 million to inform parents and the communities about ‘leading-edge teaching practices’ in Victorian schools.

Early Childhood Funding

The Victorian Government has also allocated $49.9 million for early childhood education. Of this funding, $16.5 million has been allocated over four years to introduce monitoring and regulation of family day care and outside-school-hours care.

According to the Minister for Early Childhood Development, Ms Maxine Morand, the Children’s Services Bill will ‘enforce minimum safety and developmental standards and double penalties for centres that commit safety breaches’. The Budget has also provided $10.5 million over five years to improve school readiness once children complete kindergarten, and will introduce Transition Statements that will enable parents and schools to track children’s development.

$29 million has also been provided for early childhood intervention projects for children with disabilities and developmental delays. This funding will provide additional intervention and support for individual children as well as encouragement for early childhood teachers to upgrade their qualifications.

Other Funding

Indigenous Students

The Budget has allowed for $25.3 million over five years in order to improve the educational outcomes of indigenous students. The funding would provide training for indigenous school staff, scholarships for high-achieving indigenous students and the creation of individual education plans for indigenous students.

Vulnerable Children

$19.7 million has been provided over four years to assist the caregivers of vulnerable children to meet the expenses of the children in their care, including health and education costs.

Support for Refugees

$6.5 million has been allocated over four years for programmes that encourage schools and communities to meet the needs of refugee students. Programmes would include specialised support and the creation of after school homework networks.

Library Funding

$10.3 million has been provided to establish a new Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas. The funding also provides for the Centre to deliver educational and literary programmes to the public. The Victorian Government has also allocated $3 million for public libraries to upgrade broadband facilities and to improve online protection for children. The funding will also enable Victorians to access online library resources from their own computers.

For further information, visit the Victorian State Budget 2008-09 website where you can access region-specific budget papers.

 

 

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