Page 318 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019
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(2) Is each principal required to submit a budget; if so, (a) under what categories can funding be applied for, (b) when must a budget be submitted and to whom, (c) who makes the final determination as to the total funds provided to each school, (d) how are they acquitted and (e) what flexibility does a principal have to reallocate funds within the school budget.
(3) Within each school, is there a budget for provision of separate classes for (a) gifted and talented students, (b) students with physical disabilities, (c) students with intellectual disabilities and (d) students with none of the above but who have identified complex behaviours; if so, what is the formula used to determine annual amounts.
(4) If there is no separate budget allocation for any or all of the categories in part (3), how are these competing needs funded within the general school budget.
Ms Berry: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The Student Resource Allocation (SRA) was developed to reflect the ACT Government’s commitment to implement a student needs-based school funding model for ACT public schools. Individual schools are provided budget through SRA Statements.
Schools receive an SRA Statement twice each year. In September, the projected allocation is provided to schools for the purposes of planning for the following year. In April, the actual allocation is provided following confirmation of student enrolments through the February Census.
Upon receipt of the school’s SRA allocation, the principal works in consultation with the business manager, school leaders and the School Board to determine the best allocation of resources according to the projected school enrolments. This includes allocating staff to classes, development and implementation of school programs, and the purchase of resources as needed.
Strategic Finance Branch within the Directorate coordinates with other line areas to collate relevant data to calculate funding for individual schools.
(2) (a-c) There are three key components reflected in each school’s SRA Statement as follows:
Core Allocation which includes per student funding, stages of schooling and base funding.
Loading Allocations for students with a low socio-economic status background, students with English as an additional language or dialect and students with disability
Other Allocations relating to Continuum of Educational Support, Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Support Program (Cultural Integrity), Transition and career support, Preschool, School operational allocation and Other (e.g. new school allowance; additional administration support)
(https://www.education.act.gov.au/school_education/sra-program)
Refer question 1, paragraph (2) in relation to the timing of SRA Statements to schools.
For each program allocation, there is an allocation methodology that calculates funding for individual schools.
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