The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) welcomes the Australian Government’s decision to extend for a further twelve months the interim school funding arrangements for non-government schools.

Speaking after the announcement by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education AISSA Chief Executive, Mrs Carolyn Grantskalns, noted that this decision provides SA Independent schools with certainty for 2019. “Schools are well into their budgeting and planning processes and it is critical that they are able to do so with confidence.”

Mrs Grantskalns further welcomed the Government’s acknowledgement that significant work is needed to resolve some fundamental issues before the recommendations of the Review of SES Methodology can be implemented and its commitment to phase in the new model to minimise the impact on schools negatively affected by changes. “This decision will enable Independent schools and their communities to have confidence that the new arrangements will be valid, fair and equitable and that schools will be provided with the opportunity to plan. I look forward to working with the Government to progress this critical work”.

The AISSA expresses its appreciation to the Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan, and his predecessor, the Hon Simon Birmingham, for their willingness to work with the Independent school sector and their commitment to sector blind funding.

Attend the Department for Education’s free conference to hear from leading international and Australian researchers, who will be exploring community approaches to address bullying on Monday 5 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Attendees can nominate to be a part of a consultation workshop to be held on the following day.

The conference is open to educators and people working with children and young people from government, non-government, not for profit and community organisations and will cover topics such as:

• the global context of bullying
• supporting children at increased risk of bullying
• bullying and mental health
• social media and cyberbullying
• legal responses to bullying
• school and community responses to bullying.

Read more about the conference or register now to attend.

Read the latest AISSA Bulletin:

AISSA Bulletin: Special Edition – State Budget

Independent schools congratulate Dan Tehan on his appointment as Minister for Education and Training and look forward to working with him.

Please read the full statement here:

New Minister for Education and Training

Carolyn Grantskalns – 08 8170 1400

Representatives of Independent Schools Victoria, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, and the Association of Independent Schools of SA, along with representatives of the Independent Schools Council of Australia, today met the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education. We welcome the Prime Minister’s willingness to meet us, and we are keen to work with him and Senator Birmingham to seek an enduring resolution of the funding issue. It was a productive meeting, in which we told the Prime Minister of our concerns about the implications of the recommendations of the National School Resourcing Board, which are causing uncertainty and disruption for many schools.

Read the full statement here:

Independent school representatives meet Prime Minister on school funding concerns

Carolyn Grantskalns – 08 8179 1400