A Fresh Start for Queensland: $44 million schools behaviour management boost
- Crisafulli Government announces $44 million funding injection for Queensland schools, delivering on key election commitment.
- The funding boost will give teachers more support in the classroom after a decade of failures under the former Labor Government which included skyrocketing rates of classroom assaults.
- Funding can be used to hire new teacher aides and support staff, or to increase the hours for existing behavioural specialists.
The Crisafulli Government has today delivered on a key election commitment, injecting more than $44 million into Queensland state schools to address behavioural issues with students.
The Behavioural Boost can be used to hire new support staff, or increase the hours of existing teacher aides, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.
Funding may also be used by teachers for targeted face-to-face mentoring and professional development workshops or to access specialist educational resources.
After a decade of Labor, violence in Queensland school classrooms was up, attendance rates dropped, and education standards were lagging compared to the rest of the country.
More than $80 million was paid to school teachers and staff for physical and psychological injuries across the state in the 2023-24 financial year, with 960 claims lodged with WorkCover Queensland.
The Crisafulli Government is already delivering on improving Queensland's education system through the introduction of three key actions to reduce red tape for teachers by 25 per cent, which will allow them to re-focus on students reaching their full potential.
The $44 million Behavioural Boost funding on top of the core funding schools already receive, including the Reasonable Adjustment Resources, teacher and teacher aide allocations, and curriculum grants.
Premier David Crisafulli said the government was delivering on its commitment to ensure every Queensland kid could thrive.
"Schools are no place for bad behaviour and we're sending in the back-up teachers need to turn the tables on bullying," Premier Crisafulli said.
"This will help teachers to help kids and start to stamp out bullying.
"More support in the classroom means the focus can go back on teaching.
"Every student deserves to feel safe in the classroom – as does every teacher – and this is about giving schools the tools they need to succeed and ensure they deliver world-class education to all students."
Minister John-Paul Langbroek said teachers were long forgotten under Labor, but this funding would help improve student behaviour and restore faith in the education system.
"Labor had ten years to stamp out behavioural issues and provide teachers with the support they deserve, but remarkably they failed at both," Minister Langbroek said.
"It's clear the behavioural issues we're seeing in Queensland classrooms is a direct result of Labor's failure to provide teachers with the support and critical resources they need.
"The Crisafulli Government is supporting schools right across the state and that's evident by today's announcement and by the introduction of our three actions that reduce red tape for teachers."
Schools will have the autonomy to spend the Behavioural Boost in the best way they see to fit to tackle the behavioural needs specific to their classrooms.
Teachers and teacher aides will also receive more targeted training and additional resources throughout the year to lift expertise in effective classroom management.
