The Federal Government announced its revamped Gonski school-funding package back in May, hoping to bring the years of fighting over how to fund education to an end.
On offer was an extra $18 billion-plus for schools over a decade.
But without a majority in the Senate, the Government and Education Minister Simon Birmingham were forced to negotiate on that original package and announcement.
"$18.6 billion of additional funding that the Turnbull Government committed this year, which will be distributed fairly, which will be distributed according to need, which is being used to drive real reform across the Australian education landscape ..."
Labor was never going to support the package.
It said the Turnbull Government's offer was the equivalent of $22 billion less over 10 years than when Labor was in government.
It is a line Opposition Leader Bill Shorten admits his party will continue to use.
"Fees will have to go up in Catholic low-fee parish schools. And, in government schools, either the teachers are going to get squeezed, the resources or the kids will just miss out. It's not good enough."
The state of the Senate means the Coalition needs an extra 10 votes to pass any bills not supported by the Opposition or the Greens.
As negotiations were unfolding, Greens leader Richard Di Natale flagged that his party was open to passing the bill if the Government agreed to the Greens' demands.
"Any model that is to pass this parliament has to be needs-based, sector-blind. It needs to have money flowing to the schools that need it. It needs to make sure that the states don't withdraw their contribution. It needs to ensure that we've got some independence through a national school-resourcing body."
But in the end, the Government did not need the Greens, turning instead to the rest of the Senate crossbench.
First, it won the support of Senator Nick Xenophon and his team's three votes.
"I want to congratulate the Government for its determination to implement a purer reform of the Gonski sector-blind, needs-based funding model. This took courage, because, if you level the playing field, inevitably there will be some losers. But if it goes to the neediest schools, if it goes to those schools that deserve it the most, then that is a good outcome."
Independent senators Derryn Hinch and Lucy Gichuhi said they were in favour.
So did Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, even as she worked through last-minute details with the Minister.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson pledged her party would back it, although the conditions of the crossbenchers' support was not immediately clear.
Among the ideas floated were a six-year transition to Gonski funding rather than 10 and the independent body to monitor its implementation.
Also discussed were a one-year delay for Catholic schools before they would be affected and a move to lock states into funding arrangements.
The Turnbull Government says the changes mean almost every school in the country would maintain its funding or receive more money.
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