This paper reviews the state of school funding in Australia, bringing together research from international comparisons based on OECD data sources, Australian school-level data, international research literature, and policy documents. It explores how and why the persistent increases in school funding in Australia have failed to improve educational outcomes.

School closures during the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily shifted schooling from the classroom to the home. This paper provides an insight into parents’ perspectives of this experience of home-based learning. The research shows parents have a wide range of views on how, how often, and how well schooling was carried out.

While policymakers are in the unenviable position of seemingly having to trade off between public health and children’s education, nonetheless it remains essential that they be held to account for their policy decisions. Evidence-based public policy is more important during a pandemic — not less.

This paper provides an insight into parental perspectives of the current state of school choice and resourcing, based on a survey of Australian parents that reveals the areas of importance to them—and how they and their children could be better served by the education system.