As part of the 2023 Teachers and Principals Collective Bargaining settlement there was a curriculum ratio reduction for English medium schools. This reduced teacher to student ratios for Years 4 to 8 from 1:29 to 1:28.

For kaupapa Māori education (KME) and Māori medium education (MME) schools and kura, the equivalent resourcing is being delivered via operational funding.

Who can get funding#

All schools and kura with Level 1 or Level 2 Māori Medium Immersion (MMI) students receive this funding every quarter.

We fund boards of schools and kura with ākonga | students enrolled in Māori language programmes in immersion Levels 1 to 2.

To qualify for funding, students have to meet all the criteria for each level. These levels are set out in the school roll return guidelines on Education Counts.

School roll return guidelines – Education Counts

The guidelines also explain how to record the Māori language programme immersion levels in your school's student management system (SMS) or roll template. We use this information to calculate your funding.

How we calculate this funding#

The funding is calculated by:

• the total MMI Level 1 Roll including Year 1 adjust roll
• plus the total MMI Level 2 Roll
• times the KME or MME rate.

The operational funding rate for kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education support funding is set each year.

View your operational funding updates in Pourato.

Finding information in Pourato – Applications and Online Systems

How your school is funded#

Funding is initially calculated using your provisional roll. It is adjusted throughout the year once your actual rolls are received.  

Payments are made through the usual operational grant payment processes.