When the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement reached across state and federal lines last year, it marked a rare moment of consensus. Last week, the government released its first progress report on what the agreement has delivered in its opening 12 months. For students and families, the stakes couldn't be clearer: Australia's public schools are receiving the biggest new investment in a generation, but only if the reforms bundled with that money actually work.
The numbers alone are substantial. The agreement commits $16.5 billion in additional funding over the next decade, followed by $50 billion in the decade after. But here's what separates this agreement from simply spending more: every dollar comes with specific, measurable targets and reforms tied to evidence about what actually moves student outcomes.
The attendance target illustrates the ambition. Australian schools are tracking at 88.6 per cent attendance, down from pre-COVID levels. The government is betting on reaching 91.4 per cent by 2030. For literacy and numeracy, the agreement aims to reduce the proportion of students requiring additional support by 10 per cent while increasing those performing strongly by the same measure, also by 2030. To reach year 12 completion, the system needs reform as much as resources.
What makes this different from earlier waves of education spending is the deliberate focus on mechanisms, not just allocation. Schools will use phonics checks and numeracy checks to identify struggling students early, then deploy small group tutoring to help them catch up. Mental health practitioners are already embedded in secondary schools; primary schools are getting funded mental health and wellbeing leaders. Teachers are accessing evidence-based teaching methods. The reforms are not speculative.
The counterargument is familiar: education has seen major investments before without the promised breakthroughs. Attendance can be influenced by factors schools cannot control. Literacy gaps often reflect home circumstances. Yet the agreement's architects are building in accountability. States and territories must report annually to a public dashboard. An independent mid-term review will commence in 2028 to assess whether the reforms are moving the dial.
For students struggling to keep up, the timing matters. A child falling behind in year 3 literacy faces a much steeper climb than one caught and supported early. If the agreement's targeted interventions work, they compound. If they fail, Australia will have spent $66.5 billion with little to show. The 2028 review will tell us which.