campusreview . com . au industry & research
School fee warning
Experts unpack private funding of Australian schools .
By Dallas Bastian
Private funding initiatives have the potential to create – or further cement – a multi-tiered education system based on parental capacity and inclination to pay .
Senior lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Anna Hogan raised this concern on the back of an analysis of schools ’ private income .
Drawing from 2015 ACARA data , Hogan and colleagues found that each year Australia ’ s school system attracted an estimated $ 8 billion in private funding .
While that figure included sources like donations and community fundraising , the majority came through school fees .
Independent schools totalled an average of $ 9,227 of private funding per student , followed by Catholic schools ($ 2,873 ) and government schools ($ 752 ).
And the more advantaged the school , the more private income it attracted .
In an article for The Conversation , Hogan said : “ Parents in very disadvantaged independent schools paid an average of $ 1,225 in 2015 per student . This increased to an average of $ 14,624 in very advantaged independent schools .
“ Parent fees at the most advantaged government schools were $ 745 in 2015 per student . At the most disadvantaged
government schools , parents paid around $ 299 per student .”
Private school fees are growing faster than inflation , Hogan added , and are now “ one of the biggest financial outlays in the average Australian family ”.
“ Only 50 per cent of families with children attending private schools pay fees from their disposable incomes . The rest , according to market-based research by Edstart , increase their credit card debt , take out personal loans , redraw on their mortgage , or borrow money – often from grandparents .”
And fees have increased in some public schools since 2015 , too .
“ Using metropolitan Brisbane schools as an example , Macgregor State High had a 19 per cent increase in fees between 2015 and 2019 — from $ 576 to $ 715 respectively ,” Hogan said , but added some have actually reduced their fees .
Hogan pointed out that legislation prevents public schools from attaching parental fees to student enrolments , but added that schools use a range of strategies to promote fee payment , like excluding students from extra-curricular activities and excursions if parents have not paid fees . “ This may compel parents to pay to avoid their child ’ s embarrassment ,” she said . When it came to other sources of income , like donations and fundraising , very advantaged independent schools received the most funding compared to all other independent schools , while very disadvantaged Catholic and private schools received the most from other income
An over-reliance on private income could lead to governments shirking some responsibility .
sources , when compared to other schools in their sector .
“ This may be because disadvantaged schools are receiving targeted philanthropy ,” Hogan explained .
The study highlighted potential equity issues when it comes to school fees , she added .
“ Income raising is a labour-intensive process that is re-imagining the role of school staff and parents . Raising money relies on entrepreneurial principals , savvy PR staff , engaged parents and parent committees ...
“ This is a problem , especially when it comes to public schools .”
She pointed to research from the United States and United Kingdom that “ cautions that an over-reliance on private income could lead to governments shirking some responsibility for resourcing and supporting schools ”.
Hogan said : “ The ongoing issue here is one of equity . When schools start relying on private funding ( both fees and philanthropy ) to augment how basic education services are provided , schools in most need of extra support are the least likely to be able to afford it .” ■
21