School budgets slashed by $148 million as deputies forced back to classroom (2024)

NSW public schools will have their budgets slashed by up to $148 million this year as thousands of deputy and assistant principals are forced back into classroom teaching roles to help deal with chronic staffing shortages.

In a letter to principals on Tuesday afternoon, NSW Education Department secretary Murat Dizdar said school budgets would be reduced by 1.25 per cent, and any accumulated unspent discretionary funds frozen over the next year.

“After multiple years with falling student enrolments, we need to ensure we are prioritising our teachers delivering quality teaching and learning to our students across all schools,” Dizdar said.

“While overall funding remains at record levels, to reflect the reduction in enrolments, address teacher shortages and better manage above centrally funded positions across the state, flexible funding for most schools will be reduced this year.”

Under the changes, deputy principals will be expected to teach a minimum of one day each week, while head teachers and assistant principals are now expected to be in the classroom at least three days a week.

Assistant principals in curriculum and instruction – those in charge of overseeing major syllabus reforms across schools – will not have their classroom teaching hours increased.

Dizdar said the budget cuts came “from necessity” as the state government attempted to ensure effective and efficient funding of public schools that matches enrolments and student needs.

Public school enrolments have declined since 2019, with about 25,000 fewer students enrolled in public schools last year compared with before the pandemic. The proportion of pupils in state schools fell to 62.9 per cent last year, the lowest share in two decades of reporting.

Budgets had been maintained through the pandemic and natural disasters, Dizdar said, despite falling enrolments as the private school system increases its student numbers.

“At the same time, more school flexible funding has been used to pay for a significant increase in additional executive positions in schools, which has put pressure on the teacher shortages our schools face,” he said.

About 4000 assistant principal, deputy head and executive backroom teachers have been appointed since the Local Schools, Local Decisions policy was launched in 2012, a controversial reform that meant the bulk of NSW’s multibillion-dollar schools budget was taken away from the department and given to principals.

On Monday, the Herald reported that schools across NSW were facing budget cuts after the government boosted salaries for top-of-the-scale public school teachers from $113,042 to $122,100. New graduates received a $10,000 rise.

The government indicated it would fund the once-in-a-generation increases by reducing executive teachers, consultants and labour hire.

At Davidson High School in Frenchs Forest parents are lobbying the government for upgrades to the school hall, while at St Ives High, parents are being asked to fund wellbeing programs, shade cloths, textbooks and buses.

Schools are also dealing with ongoing teacher shortages, with about 1800 vacancies at the start of this term, down from total full-time equivalent vacancies of 1990 in term 4.

Earlier this year, the department said it was making thousands of calls to teachers who have retired or quit in a bid to entice them back before the school year resumes.

From data provided in February to a NSW Budget Estimates hearing, at least 4000 calls had been made to former teachers and about 80 retired teachers had taken up positions.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said student outcomes were a priority, and it was essential that teachers spend their time in the classroom.

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“This reform will enable us to re-set and get on with the important job of repairing the NSW education system. In doing this, we are asking principals to make decisions that will help schools address the staffing issues they face across the state,” she said.

NSW Primary Principals Association president Robyn Evans said the funding cuts meant tighter budgets for schools which might be incredibly difficult to implement.

“This is going to be really hard for many schools and we’ll be prioritising teaching and learning in classrooms,” she said. “At the moment, people are asking more questions than we have answers for,” Evans said.

NSW Secondary Principals’ Association president Craig Petersen said the cuts could affect schools planning upgrades to classrooms, playgrounds or other infrastructure.

“It could also affect the number of temporary teachers employed and school learning support officers,” he said.

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Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Mitchell said parents will see the impact of budget cuts through the lack of support for their children.

“This government promised that schools would not be impacted by the budget decisions. But we now know that is not the case. For schools midway through the year to be told their budget allocations will be cut is not acceptable, and makes it very difficult for principals to ensure students get the support they need,” said Mitchell.

With Daniella White

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