Independent schools derive their income from:

• Fees and fund-raising;
• Australian Government grants; and
• State Government grants.

There is growing acceptance that the public purse cannot support every societal need and more and more Australians are sharing with governments the cost of education by sending their children to independent schools. Parents are willing to make a significant investment in their children’s education.

In Victoria, the number of children enrolled in independent schools has risen from 80,940 in 1995 to 110,753 in 2005 – an increase of almost 37 per cent compared with a growth
of 4.56 per cent in government schools.

In 2003-2004, the Victorian Government provided $4,555 million in recurrent funding for government school students, and $299.2 million for non-government schools.

The 35 per cent of Victorian students enrolled in non-government schools received six per cent of the total recurrent funding provided by the Victorian government. Each student attending a Victorian government school costs the Australian taxpayer $9,324, compared with just $5,029 per non-government school student. The saving to Australian taxpayers is $4,295 per Victorian non-government school student – a total of $1.225 billion a year.

Government funding for students at independent schools promotes choice and quality education. Getting the balance right is good for government, Catholic and independent schools and vital for the education of young Australians. This is why governments need to provide the environment that enables the independent sector to thrive.