Government funding policies are damaging public school diversity

Commenting on a story on page 1 of today's Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Kaye said: "The Federal government's funding formula aggressively rewards private schools that take students away from public schools serving disadvantaged communities.
 
"Each year billions of taxpayers' dollars are poured into low-fee private schools to help them selectively lure students out of communities with low socio-economic status scores.
 
"Students who live in neighbourhoods with high levels of unemployment are particularly attractive to private schools because of the federal government money they bring with them.
 
"The so-called Socio-Economic Status (SES) model assumes that all families in a neighbourhood have the same income, but they don't. The system encourages private schools to cherry pick the better-off families in poor neighbourhoods.
 
"The Howard government's SES funding formula is a big part of the problem and the Rudd government is ignoring the pressure it is putting on public schools and the division it is causing in communities.
 
"Meanwhile the NSW state government subsidises the travel costs for children deserting local public schools in favour of private institutions in other suburbs.
 
"The Iemma government could invest in reducing class sizes and employing mores specialist teachers in public schools with significant behaviour and learning issues.
 
"Instead their $443 million School Students Transport Scheme Schools encourages travel past local public schools to private schools in other suburbs.
 
"It's a recipe for educational segregation.
 
"Both state and federal governments are engaged in social engineering, allowing their funds to be used to make life more difficult for public schools that serve diverse communities," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455