Public Education Facts

 

Here are five reasons why we must invest more in our public schools in 2012:

 

1.         Every Child Deserves a Great Education

Public schools ensure that every child, no matter what their background, has an opportunity to get a high quality education. That is as important to our future as it was to our past.

 

2.         It’s the Best Investment We Could Make For Our Future

More than ever our future prosperity is tied to the quality of education our children receive. Investing more in public schools would help  all students get the skills and education they need for the modern workforce. It  would also help build stronger local communities and a stronger, more equitable nation.

 

3.         Public Schools are Underfunded by the Federal Government

Public schools only receive one third of Federal Government schools funding, even though they teach two thirds of our children. Taxpayer funding for private schools has also been increasing at a higher rate than for public schools since 2001. We need a new funding system that ensures there are public schools of the highest quality in every community.

 

4.         Australia Spends Too Little on Public Education

Australia spends a smaller proportion of the education budget on public schools than almost every other major nation in the world. Only Belgium and Chile spend less. The nations that perform the most strongly in education and are the most equitable all commit a bigger share of funding to public schools and have a higher percentage of students in public schools.

 

5.         Investing More Will Get Results

Research shows that investing more in public schools leads to better outcomes. Over two thirds of principals taking part in the Federal Government’s National Partnership programs in 2011 reported that the additional money they received had led to significant or very significant improvements in the performance of students. With an increasingly diverse student population and changing learning needs, it is important that all schools have the resources they need.

 

Investing more in our public schools would mean:

• Smaller class sizes and more individual attention for students
• Additional assistance for students who need help the most, such as those with disabilities or special learning needs
• A greater investment in teacher training and professional development

 

Tell the PM you support extra funding for public schools.