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Public Schools

NSW failing to get schools in the right suburbs

A government audit has found student projections have been way off, with some schools empty while others are crammed.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 53 seconds

These students were promised a 'world-class' centre of education in agriculture. Three years in, they're still waiting

Students of a "world-class" agricultural school are stuck in hot, uncomfortable temporary classrooms as they wait for their promised "state-of-the-art" facilities to be built.
Three students stand in front of a fence watching the empty field where there school is supposed to be.

Families in dark on whether children were exposed before toxic mould outbreak closed high school

Questions remain about how long a mould infestation discovered at Broken Hill's Willyama High School last month has been growing, and whether the health of children and staff has been compromised.
A white woman with brown hair in a bun crossing her arms and looking sideways.

Calls to improve school transport in regional Victoria

Limited access to public transport causes headaches for families as parents scramble to secure a seat for their children.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 57 seconds

There's a new scholarship to help kids from the bush afford boarding school — the problem is getting one

About 4,000 kids from remote Australia rely on boarding schools to finish their education, but even at more affordable schools, fees are climbing. The federal government has offered a new scholarship to help, but only for a fraction of students from remote parts of the country.
Boy with cowboy hat looks pensive.

How does an expensive school uniform help kids learn? Spoiler: It doesn't

Expensive school uniforms with logos and monograms do nothing to help kids learn, so why are we paying so much at the uniform shop?
New prep-aged children sit on floor in circle in prep classroom playing barrel of monkeys game at Spring Mountain State School.

There was a 'landmark' moment for public school funding this week. Here's what's going on

There was a major development around funding for public schools this week. Let us break it down for you.
Updated
A graphic showing a group of school children and federal education minister Jason Clare

Outback high school may need to be demolished because of severe mould outbreak

As its new school year is set to begin, plans are being drawn up to cater for students and staff who cannot enter grounds which may be beyond salvation.
A building seen from birds eye view

Commonwealth strikes deal with WA to fully fund public schools

Western Australia will be the first state to have fully funded state schools, with other states being urged to signs similar deals.
ABC News Current
Duration: 2 minutes 1 second

Minister eyes deal to 'fully fund' public schools across country after landmark WA agreement

The agreement is the first of eight that need to be negotiated with state and territory governments this year.
Updated
Federal education minister Jason Clare speaking at a press confernce in Perth

Cavalry called in to plug gaps in teacher roster as classes resume at Katherine school

Two ex-principals are among a group of education department fill-ins taking on an eleventh-hour deployment to a Northern Territory primary school.
A young child in a green and yellow school uniform prepares to get in a grey ute with his dad at school pickup.

Mould outbreak at high school forces indefinite closure days before start of new school year

Hundreds of students and staff from a regional public high school will be relocated for the beginning of Term 1 next week due to mould detection in multiple buildings.
Updated
A lock wrapped around a green gate at Willyama High School in Broken Hill next to a security notice.

Former teachers face redeployment from office jobs to NT classrooms

Corporate staff working for the NT Department of Education have been put on notice that they may be sent to cover gaps in classrooms due to a growing teacher shortage.
A group of primary aged kids in school uniforms walking on a red dirt road.

At a discount school supplies store in regional Australia, families are lining up down the street

More parents than ever are turning to charities for assistance to help afford school basics, from the right uniforms and shoes, to extensive textbook and stationery lists.
Updated
A woman holding a bag on her shoulder looking at the camera, in front of a queue of people

New data estimates school costs could top $90,000

Putting a child through public school from prep to year 12 in a major city is now estimated to set families back more than $92,000. 
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 37 seconds

'Free' public school education projected to cost parents more than $92,000 from prep to year 12

Parents are being squeezed by the cost of sending kids to school, whether their children are attending public or private, according to two new studies.
Updated
Primary school kids carrying backpacks on a rainy winter day.

'We're having to penny pinch': Back-to-school costs are adding up, but here are five tips to help

The start of a new school year can be a costly time for families, especially as cost-of-living pressures continue, but there are some ways families can save on essentials.
Updated
A woman in dungarees and her daughter hold hands in a Smiggle store, smiling at the camera.

South Australia says school phone ban decreased violent incidents

The state's Department for Education says the new ban is working, but experts aren't convinced.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 28 seconds

More and more kids are refusing to go to school, but this specialist school is trying to fix that

Ava Towers stopped attending school, refusing to get out of the car at drop-off. Her father didn't know what to do, until a specialist team reached out to help.
Children in a classroom

High-performing schools in each state and territory revealed as state NAPLAN results released

City public primary schools have dominated the list of high-performing schools, according to analysis of NAPLAN data, as school results are released today. 
Updated
two black and white teen students with backpacks facing away from the camera, another sits behind a computer with their hand up.

Thousands of students receive their HSC marks in NSW and ACT

It is the result which is the students' culmination of years of hard work and acts as their first branch into the adult world.
ABC News Current
Duration: 2 minutes 7 seconds

This NSW town near Canberra should have had a new high school this year. But a court judgement spells more delays

Bungendore residents are divided over the site selected for its high school with the location set to swallow up part of the town's only park. 
Construction plan

Calls for adequate public school funding amid review findings

An independent review has made recommendations to lift student outcomes, retain more teachers and close the gap for at-risk students.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 53 seconds

'Urgent action' needed to fix school funding inequality, major review finds

Public schools must be fully funded to combat inequality and all students should be regularly screened to see if they need additional support, a major review into school resourcing has found. 
Updated
A graphic showing two groups of children in school uniforms, one is standing on top of some coins

Mobile phones to be banned in Canberra's classrooms from next year

The ACT will join with the rest of the country when it enacts the ban but some teachers are still not convinced.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 50 seconds