Teachers and principals have consistently reported that compliance requirements take precious time away from teaching. Teacher workloads have increased because of this compliance burden. This report addresses this burden and recommends solutions that allow teachers and principals more time to focus on their students.

This Issues Brief explains that decisions about the opening and closing of schools and the school calendar are, for non-government schools, largely left in local hands. This arrangement is the result of over a century of productive dialogue between the government and the non-government school sector.

This report argues the benefits of Catholic schools go beyond the important role of educating students. Government financial support for Catholic schools makes them affordable for more families across NSW, and means governments are relieved of part of the cost of educating Catholic school students.