Debate continues within the community on the issue of funding for government and non-government schools.

This information will help to clarify how Catholic systemic schools, administered by Catholic Education Offices within NSW, are funded.

You need to take into account both Federal and State funding, as well as contributions from parents, to get the full story about how governments fund schools.

•  In the 2005-2006 financial year, the Federal government allocated 68% of its expenditure on school education in NSW to non-government schools (including Catholic schools). The remaining 32% was allocated to government schools.+
  This means that Catholic schools received more Federal funds than government schools.
  
• In the 2005-2006 financial year, the NSW State government allocated 8.4% of its education budget to non-government schools. The remaining 91.6% was allocated to government schools.+
  This means that government schools received more State funds than Catholic schools.
  
• When Federal and State funding are combined, a student in a government school attracts considerably more government funding than a student in a Catholic school.
  
• In the 2006-2007 financial year, NSW government schools received on average $9,548 per student from Federal and State governments. By contrast, NSW Catholic systemic schools received on average $6,994 per student from Federal and State governments (2007 calendar year). (Schools owned and operated by the Religious Orders are funded using a different formula.)
  
• In other words, each NSW Catholic systemic school student received, on average, $2,554 less in government funding than a student in a government school. This difference is partly offset by fees, building levies and other charges paid by parents, as well as support from parishes.
  

Br Kelvin Canavan, fms
Executive Director of Schools, Archdiocese of Sydney
May 2008

+ Source: Productivity Commission (Australia), Review of Government Service Provision, Annual Report for 2006-2007, Volume 1, Part B "Education". Tabled in Parliament 21 February 2008.