The 2024-25 State Budget: what's in it for education?
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 5, 19 July 2024, page 10-11.
The Miles government brought down its pre-election State Budget on Tuesday, 11 June. The Budget featured a number of cost-of-living measures that will generally be welcomed, increased funding for health, and a continuing program of infrastructure development. But what was in it for education?
Education
From an education perspective, the 2024-25 State Budget contained some laudable initiatives that focus on early childhood education and the needs of students at risk of disengaging from schooling. It was also noteworthy that it included a commitment to increase funding for state schooling by $1 billion over the next five years.
However, there were also some serious omissions in terms of the QTU’s preferred Budget outcomes, including a lack of any specific additional funding or programs to attract and retain teachers; and the lack of additional funding for professional development, to support curriculum implementation, and to reduce teacher and school leader workload.
The decrease in funding for new education capital works is also concerning, though an additional $500 million in capital and recurrent funding has been allocated over four years for the Sustainable Investment in Schools program, which will benefit existing schools. This includes funding to make school facilities safer. Nevertheless, more could have been done to address the issue of workplace safety and wellbeing.
Expenditure
“Education expenditure” – broadly defined to include state school education, non-state school education, early childhood education and care, and training – will be $20.9 billion in 2024-25. This is a 4.2 per cent increase over estimated actual 2023-24 expenditure (unadjusted for inflation, salary/wage increases, and other costs). Education accounts for 23.4 per cent of total government expenditure (see Chart A). As a proportion of total expenditure, education’s share has fallen to the lowest point for the past ten years (see Chart B).
State school expenditure is set to be $13.3 billion in 2024-25, a 4.5 per cent increase over 2023-24 actual expenditure.
Capital works/infrastructure
Capital works expenditure is set for $1.3 billion in 2024-25, which is an 11.7 per cent decrease from actual 2023-24 expenditure.
The Capital Statement identifies seven new schools: primary schools in Bellbird Park, Park Ridge, Caloundra South, Ripley, and Holmview, and secondary schools in Park Ridge and Collingwood Park. All of these had been previously announced and funding is ongoing.
An additional $500 million in capital and recurrent funding for the Sustainable Investment in Schools program has been allocated over four years, which will “prioritise delivery and planning of high-quality learning environments to meet enrolment needs including, where necessary, safety and accessibility upgrades”. Additionally, $78.7 million in increased funding is allocated in 2024-25 for the maintenance of state school buildings and grounds through the State School Infrastructure Renewal program.
Notable initiatives
Putting Queensland Kids First: Giving our kids the opportunity of a lifetime
The Budget has allocated $196.8m over four years for the Putting Queensland Kids First plan, which includes initiatives in early childhood education and in schooling. Among these are $67.3 million for 85 behaviour specialists in primary and special schools, and $10.7 million to trial health practitioners at 20 high priority primary schools.
Youth Engagement Reform Package
$288 million has been budgeted for the Youth Engagement Education Reform Package over five years. It includes a number of measures to support students who have disengaged or are at risk of disengaging from schooling. Aspects of this package that apply to schools include $45.5 million to create an additional 50 new FlexiSpaces in schools with high need, and $120.9 million to expand the Queensland State Pathways College from six campuses to 12 across the state.
GPs in schools
$21 million has been allocated over four years from 2024–25 to continue to support 50 Queensland state schools with secondary-aged students to provide students with free access to a GP or alternative primary healthcare provider.
School and Community Food Relief program
$10.7 million has been allocated in 2024–25 for the delivery of food programs in Queensland state schools. This is funded for the 2024-25 year only.
Teacher housing
$45.1 million has been allocated over three years from 2024–25 to meet increased demand and costs for teacher accommodation.
Playgrounds and Tuckshops Program
The government is providing increased funding of $65.5 million over three years for additional projects under the Playgrounds and Tuckshops Program.
Homework centres
The Budget includes $4.9 million over two years (2024-25 to 2025-26) to continue to deliver homework centre programs in schools.
TAFE and VET
Unlike the public schooling sector, where the overwhelming majority of income is from state government sources, TAFE Queensland relies on a variety of sources of income. The Budget Papers predict an increase in income of 6.8 per cent compared to 2023-24 actual income, allowing TAFE Queensland to operate a surplus for the first time since 2015-16.
National resourcing agreement
The next important resourcing milestone for 2024 will be the finalisation of a new National School Reform Agreement between the federal and state/territory governments. QTU will continue to advocate for 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard for all Queensland state schools.