States and territories are no closer to learning how much money they will get from the Commonwealth for schools in 2018, with the latest in a string of meetings leaving ministers frustrated.
Federal education minister Simon Birmingham moved to allay anxiety on Friday by claiming the Turnbull government was committed to growing funds for the sector but he is yet to quantify the pay cheques.
"Yet again there is no detail from the Turnbull government about school finding or preschool funding for Australia's children ... we don't even have a starting point," Victoria's Labor minister for families, children and youth affairs Jenny Mikakos told reporters after several hours of talks in Hobart.
"If a dollar amount is not put on the table then it shows you're not serious about having a true negotiation, a true constructive dialogue with your fellow education ministers."
Senator Birmingham is confident a deal will be reached in June and dismissed fears jurisdictions would be short-changed.
"States and territories have not set their budgets for schools for the future yet ... we're committed to working through it in a considered way," he said.
"The 2017 funding is a new record baseline for funding in every state and territory and it's upon that record level that future growth will occur.
"We're absolutely settling all these matters in the lead up to the COAG meeting in June."
Federal opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said schools around Australia were facing a $30 billion cut over the next decade with no one aware when or where the axe would fall.
"Schools are beside themselves," she said.
"They don't know in terms of which programs they'll be able to offer next year, which staff they'll have engaged.
"This is a serious problem and the people who'll suffer most are those children."
States and territories, together with the Australian Education Union, have called for the Commonwealth to push ahead with the remaining years of Gonski funding.
However Senator Birmingham described the model as "a hotch potch" and said a more consistent approach was needed.
States have also called for funding certainty from the federal government to ensure continuation of 15 hours a week of preschool, with the current agreement due to expire at the end of 2017.
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