The Age published an article today about problems with the roll-out of the School Saving Bonus.
The article begins: “Parents struggling to claim the state government’s $400 school saving bonus fear they could miss out after technical glitches marred the rollout, while others are frustrated over restrictions on how they can spend the money.”
Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:
Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy said parents should be able to choose how to spend their bonus, particularly when it came to iPads and laptops.
“Digital devices are a big-ticket item, and many families would have appreciated that assistance,” she said.
Read the full article (subscription only)
Gail’s full comments
Here are Gail McHardy’s full comments, as supplied to the Age:
On whether the SSB should be means-tested:
Yes for non-govt schools and No for govt schools. The School Savings Bonus (SSB) was a one off payment to support families with 2025 school related costs announced at the 2024/25 Victorian State Budget. We believe the Victorian Government targeted the funding towards government school families predominantly as the public school sector remains underfunded and government schools support the majority of families deemed suffering disadvantage. Sure, there are families that are not in this category but if they choose to, they can allocate the $400 back to the school to support other students at their school who are less fortunate. As for the non-governments schools, the department information is clear they are means tested, as is everyone who is eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF). Non-government schools have a number of income streams to support their system including more capacity to fundraise, sponsorship and donations and don’t forget they are all at or above the 100% SRS of school funding. Refer to Federal Minister comments in this recent media release.
On whether parents should have complete freedom to spend the money however and wherever they choose:
Ideally yes that would have been the best but the Victorian Government & Department of Education had to strike a balance to support schools and families with the implementation of the SSB. Not to increase administrative workloads to school leaders and administrators and at the same time give families some autonomy. If you have too many choices/options that creates more work to administrate so the portal was designed to allow parents to choose the areas they want to allocate the $400 per child to. PV agrees digital devices are a big ticket item and many families would have appreciated that assistance. Primary schools predominantly have booklists that include stationery but as those school cost packages are inclusive of other parent payments (“contributions”) these were excluded from the list of items the SSB could be used for. We must all remember this is a one off $400 and it will not cover everything for 2025 school costs. However, it will be $400 (and more if you have more than one child) that you don’t have to take from another family budget envelope! Many families have already allocated their $400 as soon as they received their unique code to do so, think this indicates the money was well received and expended. This does not let Federal or State Government’s off on the elephant in the room. Our public schools would not have to seek parent contributions to the level they do if they were funded to the 100% SRS. The Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 passed in the Federal Parliament this week but it’s not better or fairer for public schools!
On whether the $400 covers the cost of sending a child to a public school:
No and it cannot be used for the regular Parent Payments (school charges/contributions) (ie: does it cost more than $400 to pay for the excursions, incursions, school photos, yearbooks, colour runs etc…)
Victorian Government Schools are autonomous so they have the local decision making powers to set fees and select/contract suppliers. The costs vary from one school to the next. Yes, cost of schooling today includes many of those things you mention and many more, textbooks now have digital access fees; school apps; communication portals; etc – you only have to jump on some school websites to view the year level school parent payment arrangements for 2025 (some already able to view, many not as they are mostly stored on Compass). For Primary Schools, the combination of the Curriculum Contribution & Other Contribution is likely to be over $500 excluding uniforms and the book pack/devices. For Secondary Schools, can range from $ 400-1000 excluding uniforms and textbooks/devices.
PV has always questioned the variance in school costs when all govt schools are to deliver the same Victorian School Curriculum (of course some schools are in a better position to offer some other opportunities and programs they’ve decided to provide).
I should add levies were never mandatory, the terminology changed from voluntary contributions to parent payments. The policy was updated to be more transparent on the State Government expectations by the Department of Education on how schools communicate with families on school costs. Schools continue to be caught in the middle which is unfair to them.
Plus some state schools are very fortunate to have parent clubs and volunteers who fundraise tirelessly – but this should never be an expectation for the essentials that was always only ever for the extras!
The Age published an article today about problems with the roll-out of the School Saving Bonus.
The article begins: “Parents struggling to claim the state government’s $400 school saving bonus fear they could miss out after technical glitches marred the rollout, while others are frustrated over restrictions on how they can spend the money.”
Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:
Read the full article (subscription only)
Gail’s full comments
Here are Gail McHardy’s full comments, as supplied to the Age:
On whether the SSB should be means-tested:
Yes for non-govt schools and No for govt schools. The School Savings Bonus (SSB) was a one off payment to support families with 2025 school related costs announced at the 2024/25 Victorian State Budget. We believe the Victorian Government targeted the funding towards government school families predominantly as the public school sector remains underfunded and government schools support the majority of families deemed suffering disadvantage. Sure, there are families that are not in this category but if they choose to, they can allocate the $400 back to the school to support other students at their school who are less fortunate. As for the non-governments schools, the department information is clear they are means tested, as is everyone who is eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF). Non-government schools have a number of income streams to support their system including more capacity to fundraise, sponsorship and donations and don’t forget they are all at or above the 100% SRS of school funding. Refer to Federal Minister comments in this recent media release.
On whether parents should have complete freedom to spend the money however and wherever they choose:
Ideally yes that would have been the best but the Victorian Government & Department of Education had to strike a balance to support schools and families with the implementation of the SSB. Not to increase administrative workloads to school leaders and administrators and at the same time give families some autonomy. If you have too many choices/options that creates more work to administrate so the portal was designed to allow parents to choose the areas they want to allocate the $400 per child to. PV agrees digital devices are a big ticket item and many families would have appreciated that assistance. Primary schools predominantly have booklists that include stationery but as those school cost packages are inclusive of other parent payments (“contributions”) these were excluded from the list of items the SSB could be used for. We must all remember this is a one off $400 and it will not cover everything for 2025 school costs. However, it will be $400 (and more if you have more than one child) that you don’t have to take from another family budget envelope! Many families have already allocated their $400 as soon as they received their unique code to do so, think this indicates the money was well received and expended. This does not let Federal or State Government’s off on the elephant in the room. Our public schools would not have to seek parent contributions to the level they do if they were funded to the 100% SRS. The Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 passed in the Federal Parliament this week but it’s not better or fairer for public schools!
On whether the $400 covers the cost of sending a child to a public school:
No and it cannot be used for the regular Parent Payments (school charges/contributions) (ie: does it cost more than $400 to pay for the excursions, incursions, school photos, yearbooks, colour runs etc…)
Victorian Government Schools are autonomous so they have the local decision making powers to set fees and select/contract suppliers. The costs vary from one school to the next. Yes, cost of schooling today includes many of those things you mention and many more, textbooks now have digital access fees; school apps; communication portals; etc – you only have to jump on some school websites to view the year level school parent payment arrangements for 2025 (some already able to view, many not as they are mostly stored on Compass). For Primary Schools, the combination of the Curriculum Contribution & Other Contribution is likely to be over $500 excluding uniforms and the book pack/devices. For Secondary Schools, can range from $ 400-1000 excluding uniforms and textbooks/devices.
PV has always questioned the variance in school costs when all govt schools are to deliver the same Victorian School Curriculum (of course some schools are in a better position to offer some other opportunities and programs they’ve decided to provide).
I should add levies were never mandatory, the terminology changed from voluntary contributions to parent payments. The policy was updated to be more transparent on the State Government expectations by the Department of Education on how schools communicate with families on school costs. Schools continue to be caught in the middle which is unfair to them.
Plus some state schools are very fortunate to have parent clubs and volunteers who fundraise tirelessly – but this should never be an expectation for the essentials that was always only ever for the extras!
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