Victoria's Public Schools Face Funding Squeeze as Parent Contributions Hit National High
Parents of public school students in Victoria contributed the highest amount in voluntary fees, charges, and contributions nationally in 2024, amidst reports of the state having the lowest government recurrent funding per student. Concurrently, non-government schools in Victoria have reported increased enrolments, particularly in Year 7, while overall government school enrolments also saw a slight rise, contrasting with national trends.
In 2024, parents of public school students in Victoria contributed a total of $410.3 million through voluntary fees, charges, and contributions, averaging $620 per student. This positioned Victoria as the second-highest nationally after South Australia ($686 per student).
The Funding Conundrum: Parents Step Up Amidst Low Government Spending
These contributions, reported by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), encompass voluntary fees for curriculum-related services and income from optional extracurricular activities.
Several schools recorded significantly higher average parent contributions. Parents at Melbourne High School paid over $2800 per student, accumulating more than $4 million. At Albert Park College, parents contributed an average of $2726 per student, totaling over $4.46 million. Caulfield Junior College parents paid $3023 per child, partly due to a French bilingual program. Even Leitchville Primary School, with just nine students, received $2105 per parent contribution.
This rise in parent contributions coincides with Victorian government recurrent spending per student, adjusted for inflation, being reported as the lowest in Australia at $14,314 in 2024. The state's spending on teachers and staff for 2023-24, at $14,533 per student, was also the lowest nationally and fell below the national average of $16,376.
Gail McHardy, Parents Victoria chief executive, asserted that Victorian government schools are "systematically underfunded" and that parents feel compelled to contribute to essential programs despite the voluntary nature of the payments.
Andrew Dalgleish, Victorian Principals Association president, noted that rising Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased costs for schools and families. He added that voluntary payments primarily support extracurricular activities like camps and excursions, with measures in place to prevent student exclusion due to inability to pay.
A Victorian government spokesperson reported that real recurrent funding per student for public schools has increased by 34 percent since 2014-15, which they stated is more than any other state or territory. The spokesperson also highlighted Victoria's strong NAPLAN results, Year 12 completion rates (over 97 percent), and an $18.5 billion investment in school infrastructure over the past decade, noting that infrastructure funding is not included in recurrent funding data. Programs assisting families with cost-of-living burdens, such as breakfast clubs and funds for uniforms and activities, were also cited.
Opposition education spokesperson Brad Rowsell and Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell commented that families are facing increased costs during a cost-of-living crisis, suggesting the financial burden of public education is shifting to parents.
Economist Trevor Cobbold described the situation as an "absurd contradiction," stating that public education in Victoria is "far from free."
Non-Government Schools See Enrolment Surge
Year 7 enrolments at private and Catholic high schools across Victoria have increased, with many campuses reporting record intakes, despite fee increases. ACARA data indicates that approximately two-thirds of the 222 Victorian private and Catholic high schools have experienced growth in Year 7 intakes over the past five years.
The proportion of students in non-government education nationally has risen slightly. Victorian secondary students enrolled in non-government high schools comprise approximately 43% of all secondary enrolments, an increase of less than one percentage point since 2020. Enrolment growth has been observed in both high-fee private schools, such as Caulfield Grammar and Haileybury (which reported fee increases of over 4% this year), and more significantly in low- and mid-fee schools.
St Francis Catholic College in Melton recorded the largest growth in Year 7 enrolments since 2020, leading to the opening of a second campus in Cobblebank in 2023. With Year 7 fees at $5269, the school plans to enroll an additional 1000 students by the end of the decade. Other non-government schools in growth suburbs experiencing enrolment increases include Hume Anglican Grammar in Mickleham, Marymede Catholic College in South Morang, and Iona College Geelong in Charlemont. Mentone Grammar, an independent school, reported sustained enrolment growth from 1375 students a decade ago to 2008 students in 2025, with Year 7 fees at $36,433, a 9.5% rise since 2024.
Overall, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data for the past year indicates a 3.5% increase in private school enrolments to nearly 179,000 students, and a 1.1% increase in Catholic school enrolments to 218,000 students. Independent schools are reportedly approaching parity with Catholic education providers as the second most popular choice for secondary schooling in Victoria. At the primary level, Catholic schools remain a more popular option within non-government education.
Victorian Government Schools Buck National Enrolment Trend
While ACARA data shows that 180 of 312 government schools recorded fewer Year 7 enrolments in 2025 compared to 2020, the total number of Year 7 students in government schools in 2025 was higher than in 2020. This increase is partly attributed to enrolment growth in developing areas.
Government schools in the western metropolitan area, such as Western Heights Secondary College in Geelong (up 135 Year 7 students), Staughton College in Melton (up 114 Year 7 students), and Alamanda K–9 College in Point Cook (up 128 students), reported significant increases.
Overall, ABS data indicates that government school enrolments in Victoria saw a 0.5% year-on-year increase, reaching over 665,000 students. This contrasts with a national trend where public school enrolments declined in most other states and territories. A Victorian government spokesperson stated that parents are increasingly selecting government schools, citing new school constructions and upgrades across the state. Mount Alexander College, a government school in Flemington, has also experienced increased demand, with local parents reportedly preferring it due to strong programs, a curriculum, and VCE success.
Driving Factors and Diverse Perspectives
Independent Schools Victoria attributes the sector's growth to the performance of low-fee schools in Melbourne's developing areas, including Wyndham, Hume, Melton, Casey, and Whittlesea, where student numbers increased by over 3100 in 12 months. There has also been a rise in special assistance schools, such as The Avenue School in Ferntree Gully, which has seen a 150% increase in student numbers over five years.
Associate Professor Paul Kidson of Australian Catholic University noted that education remains a priority for parents despite cost-of-living challenges. He also pointed to the growth of faith-based schools, particularly in Melbourne's south-east, as a contributor to the rise in independent school enrolments. Kidson stated that this data does not necessarily indicate a lack of confidence in government schools.
Skye Predavec, an Australia Institute researcher, highlighted that Australia has the second most privatized high school system in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), after Chile, and suggested that cost does not deter people, with private education sometimes viewed as a "status symbol."
Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll welcomed the ABS data, emphasizing Victoria's position in public education, attributing it to high enrolment growth, a growing teacher workforce, and new schools across the state.