Study Believes that Students should be Funded Instead of Schools

The Australian, 2 July 2009; The Age, 2 July 2009

The Centre for Independent Studies has released a report calling for the introduction of a ‘child-centred school funding system’. Jennifer Buckingham’s In Defence of Non-Government Schools paper has claimed that ‘it is highly likely’ that the Australian Government’s review of the socioeconomic status funding model for non-government schools will lead to significant reforms.

The paper further argued that ‘it is therefore important to reiterate the reasons for public funding of non-government schools, with a rational and ethical defence of non-government schools and their contribution to the public good and society’.

Ms Buckingham argued that non-government schools deserve to receive government support because:

• non-government schools are educators of the public
• non-government schools play an important role in democracy
• non-government schools contribute to society
• public funding of non-government schools gives parents choice and
• denying parents a choice in schooling is immoral.

In order to achieve funding equity between all schools, Ms Buckingham advocated a model under which funding was linked to individual children, rather than to schools or school sectors. She argued that all students should receive an ‘education entitlement’ which was weighted so that children with greater learning needs received greater funding.

The report concluded that ‘the only way to end the debate that pits sector against sector and shifts blame between governments is to create a single funding source and to fund children, not schools. This way, the needs of children and young people would be paramount, and many more families would be able to actively choose the school they believe offers the best opportunities.’

To access a copy of the report, please visit the Centre for Independent Studies website (PDF).

 

 

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