more ability for schools to use their resources to best meet the learning needs and wellbeing of their students an easier mechanism for schools to collaborate and resources, including through Communities of Learning, to improve learning outcomes, and clear away current administrative barriers a simpler funding system with less administrative particularly those associated with the banking staffing system more transparent funding across the system and better supported financial management in schools. The Global Budget concept has been informed by alternative ways of delivering funding to schools in Australia, particularly Western Australia and Victoria. Improvements in student outcomes have been linked to greater school autonomy including the ability to manage their budgets to address their individual school’s needs. Current arrangements Funding is currently delivered to state and state-integrated schools in the form of a cash operational grant and staffing entitlement. Staffing entitlement is a quantum of full-time teacher equivalents (FTTEs) for which the Crown directly meets the salary cost. Staffing entitlement generally accounts for around 70 percent of a school’s total funding. Where schools employ teachers above their staffing entitlement these costs are met from operational grant funding and locally raised funds. Schools also employ non-teaching staff (e.g. caretakers, administrators and teacher aides) using their operational grant, as well as meet other costs such as equipment and utilities. The staffing entitlement mechanism enables schools considerable flexibility in the mix of teachers they employ. Schools are not required to manage the actual cost of teaching staff or the financial risk associated with the turnover of teaching staff and with staff progressing up salary scales over time - apart from those teachers employed through operational grant funding. This would not change under the Global Budget proposal; the Crown would continue to manage these risks. Managing the financial uncertainty of staff turnover would be particularly challenging for small schools, which are a significant feature of the New Zealand school system. There is a trade-off between protecting schools from financial risk and how the funding system supports equity and encourages schools to develop an overall staffing profile with a mix of abilities, skills and experience. The Global Budget concept would not change this. Staffing entitlement can only be used to employ teachers who hold a practising certificate or a limited authority to teach. Staffing entitlement cannot be used to employ non-teaching staff for
more ability for schools to use their resources to best meet the learning needs and wellbeing of their students an easier mechanism for schools to collaborate and resources, including through Communities of Learning, to improve learning outcomes, and clear away current administrative barriers a simpler funding system with less administrative particularly those associated with the banking staffing system more transparent funding across the system and better supported financial management in schools. The Global Budget concept has been informed by alternative ways of delivering funding to schools in Australia, particularly Western Australia and Victoria. Improvements in student outcomes have been linked to greater school autonomy including the ability to manage their budgets to address their individual school’s needs. Current arrangements Funding is currently delivered to state and state-integrated schools in the form of a cash operational grant and staffing entitlement. Staffing entitlement is a quantum of full-time teacher equivalents (FTTEs) for which the Crown directly meets the salary cost. Staffing entitlement generally accounts for around 70 percent of a school’s total funding. Where schools employ teachers above their staffing entitlement these costs are met from operational grant funding and locally raised funds. Schools also employ non-teaching staff (e.g. caretakers, administrators and teacher aides) using their operational grant, as well as meet other costs such as equipment and utilities. The staffing entitlement mechanism enables schools considerable flexibility in the mix of teachers they employ. Schools are not required to manage the actual cost of teaching staff or the financial risk associated with the turnover of teaching staff and with staff progressing up salary scales over time - apart from those teachers employed through operational grant funding. This would not change under the Global Budget proposal; the Crown would continue to manage these risks. Managing the financial uncertainty of staff turnover would be particularly challenging for small schools, which are a significant feature of the New Zealand school system. There is a trade-off between protecting schools from financial risk and how the funding system supports equity and encourages schools to develop an overall staffing profile with a mix of abilities, skills and experience. The Global Budget concept would not change this. Staffing entitlement can only be used to employ teachers who hold a practising certificate or a limited authority to teach. Staffing entitlement cannot be used to employ non-teaching staff for
School-Global-Budget-Concept.docx