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Parent Payment Summary Parent Payment Policy - one page overview
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 7
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 8
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 9
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 10
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 11
Parent Payment Arrangements - Year 12
This policy outlines the ways in which school councils can request payments or voluntary contributions from parents and ensures that parent payment practices in schools are consistent, transparent and that all children have access to the standard curriculum.
Schools and school councils must adhere to the Parent Payments Policy which is outlined as follows.
All students in Victorian government schools must have free access to instruction that is offered by a school to fulfil the standard curriculum requirements in the 8 key learning areas:
Free instruction includes the teaching staff, administration and the provision of facilities in connection with the instruction of the standard curriculum program, including reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities.
Schools cannot deny students access to the standard curriculum program, refuse instruction or disadvantage students on the basis of payments not being made for education items or activities. Schools cannot withhold student access to enrolment or advancement to the next year level as a condition of payments being made.
School councils can only request payments from parents under 3 categories:
Essential Student Learning Items are items and activities which the school deems as essential for student learning, without which, students would be unable to access the school’s delivery of the standard curriculum.
Where practical and appropriate, parents may choose to purchase essential items through the school or provide their own. Where a child cannot provide an essential student learning item or participate in an essential activity, the school must make alternative arrangements e.g. make the item available through the school or provide alternative financial support options.
Essential Student Learning Items do not include:
Schools must be able to justify why an item or activity has been categorised as an Essential Student Learning Item.
Refer to Essential Student Learning Items in the Guidance section for further information.
Optional Items are items and activities that enhance or broaden the schooling experience of students and are offered in addition to the standard curriculum. Students access these on a user pays basis.
Optional Items include non-curriculum-based school events, optional excursions and camps, optional sporting or music programs and materials that don’t relate to the standard curriculum such as school magazines.
School councils can invite parents to make a voluntary contribution to support the school. Voluntary Contributions can be for general or clearly explained specific purposes that relate to the school council’s functions and objectives. Where a Voluntary Contribution is requested for a specific purpose, the funds may only be used for that purpose.
There are no obligations on parents to make any Voluntary Contributions and schools cannot refuse students instruction in the standard curriculum if their parents do not contribute.
Schools have a commitment and responsibility to be responsive to parents who may be experiencing either short-term or long-term financial hardship.
Schools must:
Refer to Financial Help for Families for further information.
Schools do not need to develop their own school-level parent payment policy. However, schools should develop their own parent payment arrangements that suit their local context. Parent payment arrangements include the school’s:
Schools must:
Schools must use the Parent Payment Arrangements to develop arrangements and communicate these to parents.
Standard curriculum
Standard curriculum is the Victorian Curriculum F-10, Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).
For support with the Parent Payments Policy and your school’s parent payment arrangements, you can contact the Parent Payments Team on 1800 955 913 or email parent.payments@education.vic.gov.au
For general queries about the Parent Payments Policy you can contact the Department’s general enquiries line on 1800 338 663 or email enquiries@education.vic.gov.au
If you have any queries in regards to your school’s parent payment arrangements please speak with your school first.
Parent Payments
Parent Payments in schools
Guidance
Department guidance on parent payment practices in schools
Department policy on parent payment practices in schools
Reviewed 26 November 2020
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11 August 2020
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Parent Payment Summary