NSW-Commonwealth agreement on early childhood education
The COAG National Partnership on Early Childhood Education provides $278.6 million over five years to NSW to achieve universal access to early childhood education in the year before school by 2013 and to improve the quality of that education.
new funding for preschools
This financial year, $21.3 million is being invested in community preschools in NSW.
Funding to community preschools will increase to support the aim of all children attending a preschool program in the year before school for up to 15 hours (2.5 days) per week.
The new funding means that services will receive:
- $3300 per child per year for Aboriginal children attending services
- $3000 per child per year for children from low income families
- $1,250 to $2,950 per child per year based on the average income of the service’s Local Government Area
- $250 to $500 per year per child from a culturally and linguistically diverse background
- services in remote areas receive an additional $850 per child per year
- mobile services receive an additional $1000 (remote areas) to $500 (non-remote areas) per child per year
Since July, 87 per cent of preschools in NSW have received increased funding.
new funding for early childhood teachers
As well as investing in community preschools, funds available under the national partnership will be invested in quality early childhood teaching.
Research shows that the skills and expertise of qualified teachers are some of the strongest contributors to quality outcomes for children.
From mid-2011 licensed centre-based or mobile services in NSW employing a university qualified Early Childhood Teacher as per NSW regulations will be eligible for funding to help meet the costs of teacher employment and professional development.
Smaller services that are not required by regulations to employ a teacher, but have a teacher on staff anyway, will also be eligible for the funding for one teacher.
Services will be eligible for funding of $6000 to $8000 per teacher, per year, with an additional $1000 per teacher, per year in remote areas.
more information
See more information about how the partnership will be implemented in NSW.
Also see more information about the new funding formula.