The way Australian schools would be funded was shaping up as a huge point of difference between Labor and the Coalition before the election was called.
However, on the eve of the election campaign, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott tried to neutralise school budgets as an issue by promising to match Labor's funding for the next four years.
So just what are the education policies that voters need to consider before visiting the polling booths on September 7.
Amanda Cavill reports.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has visited many schools since his return to the Prime Ministership.
In one such visit Mr Rudd told a crowd of cheering children and teachers that an Abbott-led Coalition government would destroy Australia's education system, cutting funding and closing schools.
"50 schools have been shut down in Queensland. In Kennett's Victoria they shut down 300 schools and sacked nine thousand teachers. That's the Liberal national Party way. Do you want that for Queensland. (sfx) no. "Do you want that for Australia" (sfx) No. Well that's what Mr Abbott is offering right around the country."
Under the Labor government's policy, school funding would be boosted by $14.5 billion dollars over six years starting in 2014.
Most of that money would go to public schools.
Catholic schools would receive more than $1.5 billion dollars, and independent schools more than $1 billion.
The new model would see $9000 allocated to every primary school student, and $12,000 to every high school student.
Extra money would be added for disadvantaged students including indigenous pupils, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those with disabilities.
The Coalition's education spokesman Christopher Pyne has defended its decision to only commit to guaranteeing funding for four years if it wins the election.
"The Coalition is committed to the same funding envelope as Labor over the forward estimates. That's $2.8 billion of new money and the Coalition will provide that as will Labor whomever is elected. Beyond that Labor is making promises on the never never. Because in five or six years time, past two elections goodness knows if Labor would ever be able to keep promises like that."
The Coalition's schools plan would instruct the Productivity Commission to review the entire child care system and costs.
The Coalition wants to give school principals more control of their schools and parents more say in how schools are run, devolving responsibility from bureaucrats.
The Coalition says it would focus on improving teacher quality and implementing a robust national curriculum in improving student performance.
It would also establish by 2104 a new two-way Colombo Plan, exchanging Australian students with students from the Asian region.
It also plans to scrap funding for the School Kids Bonus scheme, arguing that parents don't necessarily spend the money on schooling or associated costs.
Families Minister Jenny Macklin says the Coalition's plan to drop the scheme, worth around $800 a year to families, is ridiculous - particularly in light of what she calls its overly-generous paid parental leave scheme.
"Under Tony Abbott's paid parental leave scheme you can earn anything. You can earn $200, 300,000 and get paid $75,000. $75,000 to very wealthy women compared to the needs of ordinary working families who are going to lose the school kids bonus."
The Greens support Labor's education plan overall but have been critical of the decision to cut $2.8 billion in funding to universities to help pay for it. ls
The Greens want the university funding restored and an additional $2 billion found to fund reforms.
They also wants a needs-based funding system which would prioritise federal funding to public schools before non-government schools.
Under this system, public funding currently provided to the very wealthiest schools would be directed to disadvantaged schools.
The Greens also want increased support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those from non-English speaking backgrounds
Greens leader Christine Milne says more money also needs to be spent on ensuring more students learn an Asian language.
She says Australian students will get more from school reforms under the Greens.
"We will bring forward funding into schools so that instead of three billion (dollars), we'll be putting five billion into schools so that the advantage of going to better funding for people with disabilities, for students that are disadvantaged, can flow earlier and not just at the end of the decade."
