Independent schools empower families to choose an education that aligns with their values, beliefs and child’s needs. Many families make significant sacrifices to make this choice – particularly as cost-of-living pressures grow.
To keep this choice accessible:

• We call for stable, predictable federal funding that keeps school fees affordable.
• We urge all parties to rule out policies that could limit family choice.

Independent schools educate over 157,000 students with disability, 19,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and thousands of disadvantaged young Australians.
To ensure these students thrive:

• We advocate for fair and adequate funding for schools serving vulnerable communities.
• We need to ensure there’s a ‘safety net’ to ensure our most disadvantaged students, and the schools that support them, receive the resources they need.

Demand for Independent schools is growing, with enrolments projected to rise by over 120,000 students in the next decade. Currently families and school communities contribute 90% of all capital funding. Government funding for the entire non-government sector is less than $250 million annually compared to $1.5 billion for government schools in NSW alone. To help meet this future demand we need:

• Increased funding for the Capital Grants Program to help schools expand their capacity.
• Adjusted regional loadings that will support schools in rural and remote areas.