The Victorian Government has released a new plan for school funding reform that it claims will deliver more resources for disadvantaged students in state, Catholic and independent schools.

Premier Ted Baillieu said the new plan shows is in line with the Federal Government’s Gonski review.

“The Victorian Plan will deliver additional funding for government and non-government schools to improve support for students with significant learning needs,” Mr Baillieu said.

The Victorian Plan will deliver the following three new funding reforms:

  • Increased funding to government schools which exhibit high concentrations of disadvantage, to allow them to provide more support for their students
  • A new stream of funding which ‘follows’ educationally disadvantaged students to any school, government or non-government, that they choose to attend (a ‘pupil premium’)
  • More consistent funding across both government and non-government schools for students with disability

“Importantly, no school would be worse off under this Plan and many would gain significantly,” Mr Baillieu said.

“The Victorian Plan would be phased in from the 2014 school year and deliver more than $400 million in additional funding to Victorian schools each year when fully implemented.

“It will deliver better outcomes for Victorian students and is based on what we know will work here in Victoria,” Mr Baillieu said.

The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments will provide an appropriate funding contribution to deliver the Plan.