Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program
Schools Grants Element
229. The Commonwealth uses a composite allocative mechanism for determining funding allocations to State and Territory government and non-government school education
authorities under the Schools Grants element.
230. The composite allocative mechanism is made up of the following four elements A. Approximately 38% of Schools Grants funding is allocated using a mechanism of
socio-economic disadvantage which uses the ABS Index of Relative Socio Economic Disadvantage (IRSED) and ABS school enrolment data for the 500,000 most disadvantaged students.
B. Approximately 28% of Schools Grants funding is allocated using a Language Background Other than English (LBOTE) mechanism which uses ABS Census data of students with ESL characteristics.
C. Approximately 26% of Schools Grants funding is divided into a government funding pool and a non-government funding pool and these funding pools are allocated to sectors on the basis of their shares of government or non-
government enrolments.
D. Approximately 8% of Schools Grants funding for a strategic assistance (per capita) payment which is calculated using the formula:
strategic assistance amount
X
Number of eligible students with disabilities for the year immediately before the program year.Socioeconomic disadvantage mechanism
231. The mechanism of socio economic disadvantage examines the distribution of socio- economic disadvantage between Government, Catholic and Independent schools. The mechanism uses information from the Index of Relative Socio Economic Disadvantage (IRSED) Index of the ABS Socio-economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) in conjunction with the latest (2001) ABS Census school enrolment data.
232. Education authorities’ funding allocations are based on calculated percentage shares of the total amount of funding available for distribution using this element of the
mechanism. Allocations for each education authority are derived from calculations at the national level of the distribution of the 500,000 most disadvantaged students between sectors.
233. The IRSED assigns each collection district (the primary unit for the collection and dissemination of Census data) with an index score. All Australian collection districts are ranked according to their index scores. Student enrolment numbers for each collection district are used to identify the collection districts with the 500,000 most disadvantaged students. ABS Census data on the number of student enrolments by type of school for each collection district enables a calculation of the percentage of those 500,000 students enrolled in each sector for each State or Territory.
NB: 2005 was the first year that 2001 Census data has been used in the allocative
mechanism. This data reflects population movements and therefore may result in changes to funding allocations for sectors. Under the staggered implementation of the new data over three years, no sector will receive less than their final 2004 SAISO recurrent allocation. The staggered implementation means that in 2005 0.35% of the difference was implemented, in 2006 0.70% of the difference will be implemented, and in 2007 there was full
implementation of the new data.
Language Background Other than English (LBOTE) mechanism
234. The LBOTE mechanism distributes funding between Government, Catholic and Independent education authorities based on the proportion of enrolments of students with English as a Second Language characteristics. Education authorities’ funding allocations are based on calculated percentage shares of the total amount of funding available for
distribution using this element of the mechanism.
235. The methodology for calculating percentage shares using the LBOTE mechanism is based on ABS Census data (2001) relating to the non English speaking background of students of school age. The population is categorised under three main groups, with differential weightings for each group:
home language other than English, weighted most heavily;
country of birth of the student deemed a non English speaking country, weighted less; and
one or both parents born in a non English speaking country, weighted least. 236. The percentage share for each education authority is calculated from the totalled weighted student numbers for each category of need for each type of school attended. NB: 2005 was the first year that 2001 Census data has been used in the allocative
mechanism. This data reflects population movements and therefore may result in changes to funding allocations for sectors. Under the staggered implementation of the new data over three years, no sector will receive less than their final 2004 SAISO recurrent allocation. The staggered implementation means that in 2005 0.35% of the difference was implemented, in 2006 0.70% of the difference was implemented, and in 2007 there was full implementation of the new data.
26% portion for government and non-government sector funding
pools
237. This portion of Schools Grants funding was allocated to sectors on a new basis from 2005. The total level of resources provided to the government sector and non-
government sectors in 2004 was retained, with additional funding announced in the 2004-05 Budget allocated to each pool. Also, funding previously provided through the
“compensation element” was allocated to the non-government pool of funds.
The government sector funding pool is allocated to government sectors on the basis of the latest (2006) share of government enrolments.
The non-government sector funding pool is allocated to non-government sectors on the basis of their latest (2006) share of non-government enrolments
238. A funding guarantee applies to this 26% portion of Schools Grants funds that is the subject of the new allocative arrangements. It ensures that no sector receives less (annual) funding under this portion of Schools Grants than the amount it received in 2004.
If a sector’s notional 2008 allocation under this portion of funding is less than their 2004 funding, the sector will receive its 2004 level of funding.
This will continue until the sector’s funding allocation, calculated under the new arrangement as a share of the total pool, (noting that the total pool increases annually with
supplementation), is greater than its 2004 level of funding.
D. Strategic Assistance (per-capita) portion of funding
239. Each sector’s Schools Grants funding includes a strategic assistance payment based on the number of students with disabilities in the sector.
240. The formula used for calculating the strategic assistance (per capita) payment for a sector is as follows:
Strategic assistance amount X number of eligible students with disabilities for the year immediately before the program year.
241. There are different strategic assistance amounts (per capita rates) for students with disabilities in the government and non-government sectors, consistent with historical arrangements from previous programs. The strategic assistance amounts are provided in
Schedule 9 Part 2 – Strategic assistance amounts of the Schools Assistance Act 2004.
For the purposes of determining eligibility, a student with a disability means:
A student who is attending a government or non-government school and who has been assessed by a person with relevant qualifications as having intellectual, sensory, physical, social/emotional or multiple impairments to a degree that satisfies the criteria for enrolment in special education services or programs provided by the government of the State or Territory in which the school or centre is located. (A student whose only impairment is a specific learning difficulty or for whom remedial education or remedial support is appropriate is not an eligible enrolment for the purposes of calculating per capita funding).
Number of eligible students with disabilities, for a program year means: ‘the number of students with disabilities (including the full-time equivalent of part time students with disabilities) receiving primary education or secondary education at government or non government schools in the State for the program year immediately before the program year on the schools census day for the State for the program year.’
242. The strategic assistance payment is based on the number of eligible students with disabilities in a sector the year immediately before the program year.
Strategic Assistance Amount - Additional information for Non-
government Education Authorities Only
243. This supplementary information is intended for non-government school education authorities responsible for administering the Schools Grants element of the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program for independent schools (including non- systemic Catholic schools). This is generally the State/Territory Association of Independent Schools (Independent Schools Targeted Programs Authority in South Australia) in relation to independent schools and the State/Territory Catholic Education Commission for non- systemic Catholic schools.
244. In administering the Schools Grants element for eligible independent and non systemic Catholic schools, relevant authorities are required to ensure that these schools receive their strategic assistance entitlement (per capita payment for students with disabilities).
245. At the beginning of each year, the Commonwealth will provide administering authorities with details of the number of eligible students with disabilities in each
independent and non-systemic Catholic school in their sector. This information will enable administering authorities to provide the correct strategic assistance amount to independent and non-systemic Catholic schools in their sector.
246. Information on the number of eligible students with disabilities in each independent and non-systemic Catholic school and their strategic assistance allocation will be provided at the beginning of the year using non-government schools census data from the preceding year. In the case of new schools opening in 2008, a strategic assistance payment for 2008 will be made at the end of 2008 and will be based on the number of eligible students with disabilities at the school on non-government schools census day in 2008.
247. In addition to the strategic assistance amount, the authority will also have the flexibility to use the broad banded pool of funds provided under Schools Grants and to determine the total level of assistance appropriate for a school in the context of needs across the system.
Non-Government Centres Support element
248. Funding under this element is based on the estimated State/Territory shares of the population aged 0 – 18 years that have a disability using:
data from the ABS Disability, Ageing and Carers (DAC) Survey for the 0-4 year age group; and
the number of SWDs in schools reported by State/territory education authorities, which approximates to the 5-18 year age group.
249. Details of the State allocations are included in the Funding Tables and Payment Procedures at Appendix C, Part 3.
English as a Second Language – New Arrivals
250. The grant is a once-only payment for each eligible student and is paid to the education authority responsible for the provision of the student's initial course of intensive English instruction.
Country Areas Program (CAP)
251. Allocations to States and Northern Territory government and non-government sectors is based on an index which takes account of student numbers in small settlements (population centres of less than 1,000 and less than 5,000) and student remoteness (distances of 100–150 km and more than 150 km from a larger town of 10,000).
252. The Commonwealth recognises that the States and Northern Territory education authorities are best placed to determine the allocation of CAP funds, according to the priorities identified by them, using their knowledge of local need, provided they comply with CAP guidelines.