Concerned about financial barriers to participation, the authors of this report canvassed the cost burden to parents of education in a government school. To achieve 90 per cent Year 12 attainment, they found, will require educational policy reform.

The authors applied a social inclusion lens, allowing for not only subject fees, uniforms and textbooks but also related expenses such as transport, sport or music costs and (a share of) home computer and internet access. Comparing these expenses with the incomes and educational assistance available to three hypothetical disadvantaged households showed that they would struggle to afford the education taken for granted by most Australians.