The federal and WA governments have struck a deal to fully fund public schools in Western Australia by 2026. 

The development makes WA the first state in the nation to reach the funding levels recommended by the 2011 Gonski review.

The agreement announced this week includes an additional investment of $777.4 million from the Federal Government towards Western Australian public schools from 2025 to 2029. 

This funding boost elevates the Commonwealth's contribution from the current 20 per cent to 22.5 per cent by 2026, with the WA Government matching this commitment, leading to a total additional investment of $1.6 billion.

Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare said it is a “landmark day for public education in Western Australia”. 

“I want to strike an agreement like this with every state and every territory across the country, to make sure that we fully and fairly fund all our schools across the country,” he said. 

WA Premier Roger Cook has emphasised the commitment to ensuring no child in a West Australian public school is left behind. 

This sentiment was echoed by WA Education Minister Tony Buti, who said the agreement would drive “real improvements” for students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The funding is focused on tangible educational reforms. These include measures to support students who have fallen behind, such as catch-up tutoring, and providing more resources and support for teachers.

The Australian Education Union has welcomed the deal but is calling for further action, with Federal president Correna Haythorpe advocating for the Commonwealth to increase its share of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) to 25 per cent for the states and 40 per cent for the Northern Territory.