The Abbott government has used the budget papers to signal it intends to boost funding only by the rate of inflation once the first four years of Labor's generous schools funding agreements end.
It's a big contrast to the billions of extra dollars that were set to flow in 2018 and 2019 under Labor's Better Schools plan (aka Gonski).
Total funding will now hit about $25 billion by 2024/25, roughly $5 billion less than it would have under the Gonski deal.
Treasurer Joe Hockey said regarding Canberra as a "honeypot" had to end.
The decision will disappoint but not surprise public school advocates.
What may surprise them is an apparent lack of extra funds to help students with disabilities.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne went to the election promising to continue work with the states that would lead to a disability loading being added to school funding in 2015.
But no specific measure appears in Tuesday's budget although it's understood the minister will continue negotiating with the states.
The government will extend the national school chaplaincy program for another four years at a cost of $245 million.
However, it's dumping Labor's changes that allowed schools to hire a youth worker or counsellor instead of a religious chaplain.
As well, funding will cover about 600 fewer schools than currently.
Primary school science programs will get an extra $5 million to keep running.
Mr Pyne said the government hoped to encourage more students to learn foreign languages through two new measures including a pilot program in 2015 with pre-schoolers.
A new security program will spend $18 million over the next three years to protect schools at risk of racist or religious-based attacks.
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership takes a $19.9 million haircut, including losing money in the 2013/14 financial year.
As well, the government is scrapping the $21 million centre for quality teaching and learning that Labor promised to build in Canberra as part of its school funding deal.
Share
