The Greens (WA) have today announced their plan to provide public schools students, parents and teachers the resources and conditions they need to thrive.
The Greens will push the major parties to fully fund Western Australian public schools immediately, reduce class sizes and reduce the unsustainable workload on teachers, make public education really free, and provide free school lunches for WA students.
The Greens will:
- Immediately commit an additional $230m to the state education budget to close the loophole that allows the state government to short-change its commitment to the School Resourcing Standard (SRS).
- Reduce class size targets.
- Take the burden off parents by replacing voluntary fees with state funding, to ensure families and communities who are doing it tough don't miss out.
- Provide free school lunches to students in WA public primary and high schools.
Full Funding
On Sunday February 2nd, the ALP and WA Labor governments announced their plan to finally fully fund schools to 100% of the SRS, and remove the Morrison-era accounting trick that allows the state government to claim 4% of the education budget, valued at $230m in
2025, for payments to regulatory authorities, transport, and capital depreciation - but not until 2034. (This comes after a January 2024 statement of intent to fund schools to 100% of the SRS by 2026 - a promise WA Labor and the ALP seem to have abandoned).
Western Australian kids can't afford to wait nine more years for Labor to properly fund their schools.
The WA Greens will fight for a $230m increase in the next state education budget to make for the shortfall caused by this sleight of hand. The intent of the SRS was to quantify the resourcing required to achieve desired student outcomes, and was based on the expenditure of schools where the standard was being met.
This comes on the heels of the Australian Greens announcement on 16 Jan 2025 that they would commit to 100% funding of the SRS by July 2025, which would see the Commonwealth immediately increase its share of funding WA schools to 25% of the SRS.
In addition to this funding, The Greens are also calling for an immediate increase in support for remote and regional schools, with an additional $31.8m in funding to allow existing GRO housing to fit the security features needed for teachers in regional and remote WA to be safe in their own homes. This is a vital investment in attracting and retaining teachers to work in some of the most under-resourced areas in our state.
Smaller Class Sizes
Shamefully, Western Australia has the highest class sizes in Australia, despite the growing complexity of student needs. The maximum class size in Years 4 to 10 is still 32 in WA public schools. That is much higher than other states - in Queensland it is 28 and Victoria 25-26.
- Smaller class sizes result in better educational outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Larger classes mean increased teacher workload and less individual attention for students.
- This workload, combined with unrelenting growth in administrative expectations, has left teachers straining under the burden of working in an under-resourced education system.
That drives burnout and is at the heart of the number of people leaving the profession, reducing their hours or planning to leave. WA doesn't have a shortage of teachers - we have a teacher retention problem. Teachers feel unsupported, under-appreciated and exhausted.
Around 80% of school principals have already managed to bring class sizes down to the targets we are proposing, but this often comes at great cost to other areas of school operations, and many schools simply do have room in their budgets to enable this.
We believe schools shouldn't have to decide between reducing class sizes or providing the programs and resources that enrich students' learning experiences.
The Greens will commit the $50m per year needed to reduce class sizes in WA public schools to the following levels by 2029:
- Pre-primary from 25-27 to 24.
- Years 4 to 10 from 32 to 27.
- Years 11 and 12 from 25 to 24.
No Voluntary Fees
Voluntary school fees fund classroom resources and materials that are fundamental to improving the classroom environment and experience. These contributions are capped at $60 for Primary School students and $235 for students in Years 7-10.
In the current cost of living crisis, fewer families are able to pay their voluntary contributions, and as a result, teachers are having to choose between letting their classrooms go without, or paying for resources out of their own pockets. Some schools are even asking families who are able to contribute to pay-it-forward schemes. In the wealthiest state in Australia, this isn't good enough.
We will fight to have voluntary fees abolished, and provide $32m in funding to ensure that the government takes responsibility and funds the essential resourcing of WA classrooms, rather than having families or teachers foot the bill for the basics.
Free School Lunches
We know that children who don't have access to proper nutrition are more likely to miss school, and it is harder for them to learn when they do attend. We also know that parents and caregivers are working longer hours and are struggling to provide lunches for their kids, as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
That's why The Greens are proposing $400m per year to make free school lunches available to all students.
Our plan, based on the June 2023 Hungry for Change report tabled by the Joint Standing Committee on the Commissioner for Children and Young People, recognises that food insecurity is a policy choice with long-term impacts on the futures of our children.
A similar program, proposed by the Queensland Greens, was adopted into Queensland Labor's platform at their last state election. We want to use our position in the next parliament to make Labor come to the table and work with The Greens to feed WA school kids.
The Greens will work with teachers and unions to ensure that this program is adequately funded, staffed and resourced so it does not create an extra burden on teachers.
This measure would save WA families on average $672 per child, per year. While Labor is doubling down on one-off handouts of $150 and $250 handouts to buy votes, our plan would save families nearly three times that amount every year, and make school mornings a little less stressful for time-strapped parents and carers. This is an investment in WA's future.
As stated by Diane Evers, Greens WA Legislative Council candidate and Education Spokesperson
"In a statement of intent from 31 Jan 2024, the State and Federal governments promised to fund schools to 100% of the SRS by 2026. But last week, they 'announced' the same promise to fund schools to 100%...but not until 2034. Our kids and teachers can't afford to wait to see when Labor will finally fund our schools properly. WA deserves better.
"This WA Labor government has had the largest parliamentary majority ever seen in Australian political history and six years of budget surpluses that are the envy of the nation - yet more than a decade after the Gonski review was delivered outlining the bare minimum our schools need, they still cannot fully fund public education in WA properly. This is an absolute disgrace.
"Our teachers are overworked with duties piling up on all fronts, leading to stress, burnout or leaving the profession altogether. The WA government must address these issues, and support the teachers we need to continue and re-engage those people who have left teaching.
"We must provide an education system that reduces the workloads and administrative burden on teachers, and allow teachers to focus on teaching.
"This government must determine and deliver the system and benefits package that will draw teachers back into the profession. Teaching is an admirable career and teachers must be given the respect and resources required for such an important role in our society."
