The Australian Education Union today released the detailed amounts of underfunding for every Tasmanian public school as a result of a Liberal state and federal government school funding agreement.
Three days out from the state election, the union representing teachers, principals and support staff want voters to know what is s at stake for their local schools and colleges.
The full table of funding shortfalls shows Launceston College is the biggest loser with an $11.5 million shortfall over four years.
Sorell School is underfunded by $6.3 million, Riverside Primary School by $5.9 million, Don College by $6 million and Lauderdale Primary School by $5.35 million.
“Every school should be provided the resources it needs to ensure every child gets the best education, regardless of their background or circumstances,” said Brian Wightman, AEU Tasmania State Manager and former principal.
“Liberal Party Ministers, at both state and federal level, have signed a funding agreement that leaves every Tasmanian public school and student short of the minimum resources they need to achieve their full potential.”
The Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) minimum school funding benchmark that Liberal governments have failed to reach is written into federal law and was developed independently by the 2011 Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling.
“Funding shortfalls hurt our kids – they mean students don’t get the extra support they need, teachers are overworked and children won’t achieve their best.”
“This underfunding is a huge failure from the Tasmanian Liberal Government – they’ve failed to stand up for Tasmanian children at the federal level and they’ve failed to meet the shortfall so our kids are missing out.”
“This is not about capital funding or one-off expenditure, this is about every Tasmanian school and child missing out every year – on average, every school is missing out on $630,000 every year.”
“For every Tasmanian parent, imagine what your child could achieve with ten percent more funding, what your child’s school or college could achieve with ten percent more funding – that’s what our vote4education.org.au campaign is all about.”
The Australian Education Union highlighted the impact of funding shortfalls with the equivalent teachers that could be employed if the minimum funding benchmark was reached for every school.
“Without this Liberal Party funding shortfall, we could have 1,409 additional teachers employed in our public schools – that’s seven and a half teachers on average, for every school.”
“Every school has different needs, for some it is additional teachers, for others it is professional support staff such as school psychologists. Some schools would run programs to help students who are falling behind and those that need to be extended.”
With the full Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) funding, the table shows Taroona High School could employ an additional 26.5 teachers, New Town High 16.7 teachers, Hellyer College 16.3 teachers and Queechy High an additional 16 teachers.
“Across Tasmania, public schools are making a significant difference in the lives of our children, helping to level the playing field, overcome disadvantage and achieve excellence for all. Imagine what we could do with the minimum funding we know students need to achieve their potential.”
“This election, vote for local schools and colleges,” said Brian Wightman.
The AEU has launched the vote4education.org.au website which lists 60 state election candidates who have committed to fully fund public schools and colleges.
For a searchable table that shows the level of underfunding for each school and college, click here.
Following is the funding shortfall for Tasmanian public schools and colleges by electorate:
Electorate | Sum of 2020-2023 SRS + depreciation gap school total |
Bass | $109,545,685 |
Braddon | $104,872,123 |
Clark | $101,773,863 |
Franklin | $83,959,071 |
Lyons | $73,027,430 |
Grand Total | $473,178,171 |
Funding shortfall for Tasmanian public schools and colleges
School Name | Electorate | 2020-2023 SRS + depreciation gap school total | Additional teachers that could be hired without shortfall |
Launceston College | Bass | 11,460,436 | 34.1 |
Taroona High School | Clark | 8,893,375 | 26.5 |
Hobart College | Clark | 8,459,923 | 25.2 |
Rosny College | Franklin | 7,419,959 | 22.1 |
Elizabeth College | Clark | 7,326,218 | 21.8 |
Sorell School | Lyons | 6,338,333 | 18.9 |
Don College | Braddon | 6,064,320 | 18.1 |
Riverside High School | Bass | 6,041,086 | 18.0 |
Riverside Primary School | Bass | 5,917,700 | 17.6 |
New Town High School | Clark | 5,592,411 | 16.6 |
Hellyer College | Braddon | 5,471,429 | 16.3 |
Queechy High School | Bass | 5,368,875 | 16.0 |
Lauderdale Primary School | Franklin | 5,350,447 | 15.9 |
Rose Bay High School | Franklin | 5,217,447 | 15.5 |
Kingston High School | Franklin | 5,151,748 | 15.3 |
Ogilvie High School | Clark | 5,015,543 | 14.9 |
Howrah Primary School | Franklin | 5,013,941 | 14.9 |
Montrose Bay High School | Clark | 4,996,314 | 14.9 |
Brighton Primary School | Lyons | 4,710,284 | 14.0 |
Ulverstone Secondary College | Braddon | 4,699,868 | 14.0 |
Penguin District School | Braddon | 4,594,109 | 13.7 |
Windermere Primary School | Clark | 4,581,290 | 13.6 |
Clarence High School | Franklin | 4,537,224 | 13.5 |
Burnie High School | Braddon | 4,488,350 | 13.4 |
Kings Meadows High School | Bass | 4,320,097 | 12.9 |
East Launceston Primary School | Bass | 4,315,290 | 12.8 |
Mowbray Heights Primary School | Bass | 4,268,820 | 12.7 |
Lenah Valley Primary School | Clark | 4,172,676 | 12.4 |
Summerdale Primary School | Bass | 4,041,278 | 12.0 |
Austins Ferry Primary School | Clark | 4,037,272 | 12.0 |
Port Dalrymple School | Bass | 3,917,892 | 11.7 |
Norwood Primary School | Bass | 3,876,230 | 11.5 |
Latrobe High School | Braddon | 3,865,814 | 11.5 |
Devonport High School | Braddon | 3,813,736 | 11.4 |
St Helens District High School | Lyons | 3,789,700 | 11.3 |
Reece High School | Braddon | 3,756,850 | 11.2 |
Nixon Street Primary School | Braddon | 3,748,037 | 11.2 |
Sheffield School | Lyons | 3,678,332 | 10.9 |
Bellerive Primary School | Franklin | 3,669,519 | 10.9 |
Dodges Ferry Primary School | Lyons | 3,651,892 | 10.9 |
Margate Primary School | Franklin | 3,599,013 | 10.7 |
Trevallyn Primary School | Bass | 3,584,591 | 10.7 |
Prospect High School | Bass | 3,541,326 | 10.5 |
Newstead College | Bass | 3,432,362 | 10.2 |
Spreyton Primary School | Braddon | 3,408,326 | 10.1 |
Illawarra Primary School | Franklin | 3,403,519 | 10.1 |
South Hobart Primary School | Clark | 3,401,916 | 10.1 |
Rosetta Primary School | Clark | 3,385,892 | 10.1 |
Ulverstone Primary School | Braddon | 3,361,856 | 10.0 |
Lansdowne Crescent Primary School | Clark | 3,326,603 | 9.9 |
Claremont College | Clark | 3,316,989 | 9.9 |
Brooks High School | Bass | 3,253,827 | 10.4 |
Exeter Primary School | Bass | 3,201,615 | 9.5 |
Huonville High School | Franklin | 3,167,163 | 9.4 |
Waimea Heights Primary School | Clark | 3,155,145 | 9.4 |
Princes Street Primary School | Clark | 3,078,230 | 9.2 |
West Launceston Primary School | Bass | 3,033,362 | 9.0 |
Somerset Primary School | Braddon | 3,023,748 | 9.0 |
Huonville Primary School | Franklin | 3,001,314 | 8.9 |
Parklands High School | Braddon | 2,940,422 | 8.8 |
Cambridge Primary School | Franklin | 2,917,989 | 8.7 |
Lilydale District School | Bass | 2,917,187 | 8.7 |
Mount Stuart Primary School | Clark | 2,833,061 | 8.4 |
Fairview Primary School | Lyons | 2,820,242 | 8.4 |
Taroona Primary School | Clark | 2,815,434 | 8.4 |
Burnie Primary School | Braddon | 2,813,832 | 8.4 |
Glen Dhu Primary School | Bass | 2,807,422 | 8.4 |
New Town Primary School | Clark | 2,799,410 | 8.3 |
Kingston Primary School | Franklin | 2,788,193 | 8.3 |
Deloraine Primary School | Lyons | 2,786,591 | 8.3 |
Montello Primary School | Braddon | 2,783,386 | 8.3 |
Latrobe Primary School | Braddon | 2,760,151 | 8.2 |
Glenorchy Primary School | Clark | 2,751,338 | 8.2 |
Snug Primary School | Franklin | 2,727,302 | 8.1 |
Lindisfarne Primary School | Franklin | 2,722,495 | 8.1 |
Table Cape Primary School | Braddon | 2,720,892 | 8.1 |
Hagley Farm Primary School | Lyons | 2,714,482 | 8.1 |
Montagu Bay Primary School | Franklin | 2,688,844 | 8.0 |
Punchbowl Primary School | Bass | 2,671,217 | 8.0 |
Miandetta Primary School | Braddon | 2,650,386 | 7.9 |
Woodbridge School | Franklin | 2,597,507 | 7.7 |
Invermay Primary School | Bass | 2,573,470 | 7.7 |
Lindisfarne North Primary School | Franklin | 2,552,639 | 7.6 |
Youngtown Primary School | Bass | 2,531,808 | 7.5 |
St Marys District School | Lyons | 2,512,579 | 7.5 |
East Tamar Primary School | Bass | 2,507,772 | 7.5 |
New Norfolk High School | Lyons | 2,495,753 | 7.4 |
JRLF – Senior School | Lyons | 2,469,314 | 7.4 |
Smithton High School | Braddon | 2,408,422 | 7.2 |
Romaine Park Primary School | Braddon | 2,408,422 | 7.2 |
JRLF – East Derwent Primary School | Lyons | 2,389,193 | 7.1 |
Cressy District High School | Lyons | 2,368,362 | 7.1 |
Devonport Primary School | Braddon | 2,281,832 | 6.8 |
Scottsdale Primary School | Bass | 2,278,627 | 6.8 |
Exeter High School | Bass | 2,272,217 | 6.8 |
Ravenswood Heights Primary School | Bass | 2,265,808 | 6.7 |
Port Sorell Primary School | Braddon | 2,261,000 | 6.7 |
Bayview Secondary College | Franklin | 2,248,982 | 6.7 |
Scottsdale High School | Bass | 2,230,555 | 6.6 |
Blackmans Bay Primary School | Franklin | 2,201,711 | 6.6 |
Moonah Primary School | Clark | 2,160,049 | 6.4 |
Albuera Street Primary School | Clark | 2,160,049 | 6.4 |
Springfield Gardens Primary School | Clark | 2,103,964 | 6.3 |
Deloraine High School | Lyons | 2,100,759 | 6.3 |
East Ulverstone Primary School | Braddon | 2,086,338 | 6.2 |
Boat Harbour Primary School | Braddon | 2,079,928 | 6.2 |
Bowen Road Primary School | Clark | 2,068,711 | 6.2 |
Goulburn Street Primary School | Clark | 2,054,290 | 6.1 |
Wynyard High School | Braddon | 1,993,398 | 5.9 |
Beaconsfield Primary School | Bass | 1,935,711 | 5.8 |
St Leonards Primary School | Bass | 1,935,711 | 5.8 |
Mount Nelson Primary School | Clark | 1,914,880 | 5.7 |
Richmond Primary School | Lyons | 1,906,868 | 5.7 |
Longford Primary School | Lyons | 1,863,603 | 5.5 |
Perth Primary School | Lyons | 1,858,796 | 5.5 |
Rokeby Primary School | Franklin | 1,841,169 | 5.5 |
Campbell Street Primary School | Clark | 1,841,169 | 5.5 |
East Devonport Primary School | Braddon | 1,775,470 | 5.3 |
Hillcrest Primary School | Braddon | 1,727,398 | 5.1 |
Campbell Town District High School | Lyons | 1,680,127 | 5.0 |
Tasman District School | Lyons | 1,676,922 | 5.0 |
Oatlands District High School | Lyons | 1,641,669 | 4.9 |
New Norfolk Primary School | Lyons | 1,634,458 | 4.9 |
Cygnet Primary School | Franklin | 1,621,639 | 4.8 |
South George Town Primary School | Bass | 1,613,627 | 4.8 |
Smithton Primary School | Braddon | 1,549,530 | 4.6 |
King Island District High School | Braddon | 1,519,085 | 4.5 |
Campania District School | Lyons | 1,475,820 | 4.4 |
Forth Primary School | Braddon | 1,475,820 | 4.4 |
Cosgrove High School | Clark | 1,461,398 | 4.4 |
Bridport Primary School | Bass | 1,448,579 | 4.3 |
Glenora District School | Lyons | 1,424,542 | 4.2 |
Mountain Heights School | Braddon | 1,400,506 | 4.2 |
Yolla District School | Braddon | 1,374,868 | 4.1 |
Evandale Primary School | Lyons | 1,360,446 | 4.0 |
West Ulverstone Primary School | Braddon | 1,347,627 | 4.0 |
Cooee Primary School | Braddon | 1,330,000 | 4.0 |
Warrane Primary School | Franklin | 1,326,795 | 3.9 |
JRLF – Herdsmans Cove Primary School | Lyons | 1,309,169 | 3.9 |
Risdon Vale Primary School | Franklin | 1,307,567 | 3.9 |
Forest Primary School | Braddon | 1,289,940 | 3.8 |
Molesworth Primary School | Lyons | 1,251,482 | 3.7 |
Andrews Creek Primary School | Braddon | 1,221,036 | 3.6 |
Triabunna District School | Lyons | 1,219,434 | 3.6 |
Waverley Primary School | Bass | 1,172,964 | 3.5 |
Bagdad Primary School | Lyons | 1,123,289 | 3.3 |
Goodwood Primary School | Clark | 980,675 | 2.9 |
JRLF – Gagebrook Primary School | Lyons | 964,651 | 2.9 |
Franklin Primary School | Franklin | 964,651 | 2.9 |
Westbury Primary School | Lyons | 959,844 | 2.9 |
Havenview Primary School | Braddon | 955,036 | 2.8 |
Glen Huon Primary School | Franklin | 922,988 | 2.7 |
Riana Primary School | Braddon | 892,542 | 2.7 |
Ridgley Primary School | Braddon | 890,940 | 2.7 |
Dover District School | Franklin | 784,380 | 2.3 |
Ringarooma Primary School | Bass | 778,771 | 2.3 |
Clarendon Vale Primary School | Franklin | 773,964 | 2.3 |
Flinders Island District High School | Bass | 756,337 | 2.3 |
Sandy Bay Infant School | Clark | 681,024 | 2.0 |
Dunalley Primary School | Lyons | 679,422 | 2.0 |
Winnaleah District High School | Bass | 677,819 | 2.0 |
Bicheno Primary School | Lyons | 665,000 | 2.0 |
Orford Primary School | Lyons | 608,916 | 1.8 |
Rosebery District High School | Braddon | 573,663 | 1.7 |
Geeveston Primary School | Franklin | 565,651 | 1.7 |
Bothwell District High School | Lyons | 560,843 | 1.7 |
Launceston Big Picture School | Bass | 558,440 | 1.7 |
South Arm Primary School | Franklin | 554,434 | 1.7 |
Edith Creek Primary School | Braddon | 530,398 | 1.6 |
Bracknell Primary School | Lyons | 507,964 | 1.5 |
Strahan Primary School | Braddon | 487,133 | 1.5 |
Zeehan Primary School | Braddon | 471,109 | 1.4 |
Stanley Primary School | Braddon | 461,494 | 1.4 |
Westerway Primary School | Lyons | 448,675 | 1.3 |
Mole Creek Primary School | Lyons | 413,422 | 1.2 |
Swansea Primary School | Lyons | 411,819 | 1.2 |
Collinsvale Primary School | Clark | 408,615 | 1.2 |
Sassafras Primary School | Braddon | 399,000 | 1.2 |
Bruny Island District School | Franklin | 318,880 | 0.9 |
Redpa Primary School | Braddon | 317,277 | 0.9 |
Kempton Primary School | Lyons | 238,759 | 0.7 |
Natone Primary School | Braddon | 233,952 | 0.7 |
Sprent Primary School | Braddon | 163,446 | 0.5 |
Wilmot Primary School | Lyons | 126,590 | 0.4 |
Ouse District School | Lyons | 100,952 | 0.3 |
Avoca Primary School | Lyons | 88,133 | 0.3 |
Cape Barren Island School | Bass | 36,855 | 0.1 |
TOTALS | 473,178,171 | 1409.3 |