The following tables and charts show the government recurrent expenditure on both government and non-government schools on a financial year basis.

Notes and caveats

• For some non-government schools 2020-21 financial year payments from the Australian Government were brought forward to the 2019-20 financial year. 
• The Australian Government provided increased assistance in 2020 to some non-government schools in response to COVID-19.
• Depreciation and user cost of capital expenses relating to government schools have been attributed to states/territories based on ownership of the underlying assets. A portion of these assets would have been acquired through Australian Government capital contributions, with states and territories responsible for maintenance costs. Australian Government expenditure data in this table include only Australian Government specific purpose payments. Other Australian Government funding for schools and students is not included.
• Student numbers are the average full-time equivalent (FTE) student populations for the years being reported. 
• Australian Government specific purpose payments include recurrent, targeted and Indigenous program expenditure, until 2008/09. From 2009/10 onwards, these categories are not separately reported but funds expended on these purposes are included in the total specific purpose payment provision. 
• From 2018-19 FTE enrolled students used to derive NSW and total Australian recurrent expenditure per student for government and all schools excludes Norfolk Island Central School (NICS) FTE enrolments. NICS is under Queensland administration from 1 January 2022.

Source: Government Schools Finance Statistics Group, National Schools Statistics Collection (NSSC) - Finance, 2021 (unpublished); Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (SCRGSP), Report on Government Services 2023, Productivity Commission; ABS, Schools, Australia

This information relates to Part 4 of the National Report on Schooling in Australia.