The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) welcomes the introduction of legislation to amend the Australian Education Act to allow for a fairer and more accurate measure of assessing parents’ capacity to contribute to the costs of non-government schooling.

The Direct Measure of Income (DMI), to be fully introduced by 2022, is based on the findings of the independent review by the National School Resourcing Board (NSRB). The DMI will replace the socio-economic status (SES) score methodology that was identified as fundamentally flawed by the Gonski Review in 2011, and will rectify the poorly conceived amendments to the Australian Education Act introduced by the Turnbull government in 2017 that increased the fee expectations on non-government school families.

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Former Macquarie Group CEO Nicholas Moore has been appointed the new Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission.

The announcement was made in a statement today by Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher OP, who heads the Bishops Commission for Catholic Education.

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Catholic schools have welcomed the Federal Government doubling its funding to support families affected by drought.

A total of $8.2 million will be allocated to Catholic schools across Queensland ($3.9 million), New South Wales ($2.8 million), Victoria ($810,000) and South Australia ($660,000).

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Catholic schools offer help and support to families affected by bushfire crisis Families with children at Catholic schools who have suffered in the bushfire crisis have been encouraged to speak to their principal about fee relief.

Catholic schools have a long history of responding to families in need, in times of natural disasters such as floods and bushfires as well as financial hardship and disadvantage.

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Catholic Education welcomes today’s launch of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration which was endorsed by COAG’s Education Council yesterday.

The document strongly supports all educator sectors – secular and faith-based – which reflects the large number of Australian families who have chosen and invested heavily in faith-based schools.

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Catholic schools have welcomed today’s Federal Government announcement of $10 million to support families affected by drought.

Executive director of National Catholic Education Jacinta Collins thanked Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan for the much needed money.

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has appointed Director of Schools for the Broken Bay Diocese, Peter Hamill, to the role of Deputy Director. ­

Executive Director Jacinta Collins, who announced the appointment today, said Peter comes to the NCEC with a wealth of experience and understanding of Catholic education and administration, having served as an educator, school and system leader for over 43 years.

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Catholic Education has hailed the announcement of planning for the first Catholic secondary school located on an Australian university campus as an exciting development for the future of Catholic schooling.

James Cook University and Catholic Education in Cairns announced a Memorandum of Understanding to investigate a new secondary college at JCU’s Cairns Smithfield Campus, as well as an on-site childcare centre operated by Catholic Early Learning and Care. The College will be autonomous and operate under a long-term lease.

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) today welcomed the reappointment of the Hon Dan Tehan as Education Minister, saying it provides stability and enables better progress on important issues.

NCEC Executive Director Jacinta Collins said Mr Tehan’s reappointment gives him the opportunity to finalise the new school funding arrangements he announced in September last year.

“Catholic Education is pleased Mr Tehan is able to continue in this role,” Ms Collins said.

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More than one in five Catholic schools are already solar smart and others will be lining up to join Labor’s Solar Schools program if the Opposition wins government. 

“Catholic schools with solar panels achieve substantial cost savings, so money that was spent on power bills now goes into teaching,” the chair of Catholic Education, Greg Crafter, said. 

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has welcomed the Government’s formal budget commitment to better target funding for Australia’s low-fee schools.

NCEC Executive Director Jacinta Collins acknowledged Education Minister Dan Tehan’s focus on low-fee schools which educate so many disadvantaged students.

“Now that the Government’s funding package is locked in the Budget, the NCEC looks forward to seeing the detail of Labor’s plans for Catholic schools,” Jacinta said.

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) today welcomed announcements by Labor’s shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek to boost funding for students with a disability, create a National Principals’ Academy, review NAPLAN and ensure funding support for all school sectors.

In her National Press Club address, Ms Plibersek said a Labor government would increase funding for students with a disability by $300 million over three years. She also reiterated Labor’s proposals to establish an Evidence Institute for Schools and provide bursaries for students who wanted to become teachers.

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Analysis of school funding data reported by the ABC today gives a false impression that government schools attract less public funding than non-government schools.

“Comparing schools with similar socio-economic characteristics using ‘per-student’ funding data is fraught with problems because it ignores variables such as school size and teacher salaries,” NCEC Acting Executive Director Ray Collins said.

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Families who choose a non-government schooling option will continue to be supported after the Federal Government today announced important changes to its school funding arrangements, the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) said. 

The NCEC fully supports the package of measures unveiled today. 

“The 2017 model created unintended consequences that threatened the future of low-fee, faith-based schools in remote and higher SES areas,” Acting Executive Director Ray Collins said. 

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