Program 1.6: Assistance to the States for schools
Program objective
The objective of program 1.6 is:
- the Government provides financial support for the States and Territories to be spent in the delivery of government and non-government school services.
This program also has links to the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio. Although the Treasury makes payments for non-government schools, where funding agreements exist, the funding and expense for the non-government schools component is in the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio.
Program deliverables
The program deliverable is:
- payments to the States and Territories are made according to the payment arrangements specified in the Intergovernmental Agreement.
Key performance indicators
The key performance indicators are:
- the Commonwealth Treasury will transfer to each State and Territory the amounts of their monthly and annual entitlements under the National Schools SPP (government and non-government schools component) and will make the payments on the dates specified in the Intergovernmental Agreement;
- the Commonwealth Treasury will provide advice to the States and Territories on the components of each payment prior to each payment being made; and
- the States and Territories are required to spend the National Schools SPP in the schools sector. Each State and Territory Treasurer will provide a report to demonstrate expenditure of the National Schools SPP within the schools sector in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement. The Commonwealth Treasury will review these reports provided by the States and Territories.
Analysis of performance
The Treasury facilitated the Government’s 2011-12 financial support for the States and Territories in the delivery of government schools services.
- Payments under the National Schools SPP (government schools component) payments were $3.8 billion.
- All payments were accurately determined and made in a timely manner in accordance with payment arrangements specified in the Intergovernmental Agreement.
- Advice was provided to the States and Territories prior to each payment being made.
To demonstrate that the National Schools SPP (government schools component) has been spent in the relevant sector, each State and Territory Treasurer will provide a report to the Standing Council within six months of 30 June 2012, disclosing relevant information in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement.