From the Australian Education Union

Australian Education Union

South Australian Primary Principal’s Association

South Australian Secondary Principal’s Association

South Australian Area Schools Association

South Australian Small Schools Association

South Australian Preschool Director’s Association

South Australian Special Schools Association

South Australian State Schools Organisation

South Australian Association of School Parents Clubs

DECS/State Government Budget Cuts Facts

Background

The State Government and DECS are proposing that preschool and school are subject to the following cuts. Sites will be forced to implement these cuts at a local level, directly impact upon student learning and support programmes.

In summary DECS and the State Labor Government are robbing from children to fill state government coffers.

Why the cuts?

Every State Government agency is being required to find “efficiencies”.

Why now?

DECS has just finished presenting these proposals to stakeholders, even though some items are from the 2006/07 state budget.

Workcover - $17m cut over three years

* All sites are levied 1% of total salary starting costs, with a monthly deduction from the site’s budget.
* Costs will be met by the site in which the injury occurs.
* Sites to pay the first $100 of any medical treatment.
* Sites to pay the first 4 weeks of lost time from any new Workcover claim; e.g. Temporary Relief Teachers (TRT) cover
* A 60% rebate will be provided to sites that make no claims



Staffing - $17m cut over 3 years

* DECS strategy focuses upon Temporarily Placed Teachers (TPTs)
* Costs of all surplus teachers and SSOs transferred to sites
* Introduction of a cost to sites for surplus ancillary staff
* 30 TRT days will be cut each term per 1.0 surplus teaching staff



SA School Investment Accounts- $7m over 3 years

* A percentage of sites’ funds will be creamed and returned to state coffers and applies to all funds in SASIF accounts
* DECS examining 5 options for based upon school type, enrolments, and RES.



Small Programmes/grants - $16m over 4 years

* Programmes and projects that currently support students in preschools and schools will be cut over time.
* DECS has not disclosed what student programme and projects are at risk.



State Government Efficiency Dividend - $36m over 4 years

* 0.25% per annum to state government coffers away from improving student learning outcomes.



DECS District and State Office Efficiencies – 17m over 4 years

* District offices provide a range of support services to school sand students.
* These include speech pathologists and hearing specialists
* The State office provides HR support to schools and preschools as well as development of curriculum support materials
* DECS not specific on the how these ‘efficiencies will be made’