Support for Schools

$292.55 million operating funding and $7.84 million of capital funding for implementing the Equity Index

This funding fulfils a manifesto commitment to remove the decile system, implement the Equity Index and better resource schools and kura for equity. It provides a $75 million (about 50%) increase per year in equity funding for schools and kura and provides transition support associated with the shift to the Equity Index.

What will this mean for schools?

From January 2023 schools will start receiving funding based on their Equity Index number instead of a decile rating. The shift to the Equity Index will change the amount of equity funding some schools receive.

Other uses of decile will be phased out. The Ministry will provide updates to schools on those initiatives prior to the changes being implemented.

Is any other funding affected?

All operational grant funding components currently weighted by decile (e.g. part of the Careers Information Grant) will be re-weighted according to the Equity Index. These changes are being included in our transition approach.

We are also updating the Isolation Index and isolation-based resourcing. This includes Targeted Funding for Isolation, a component of schools’ operational grants.

What transition support will there be?

We will provide transition funding to schools which will see a reduction in funding as a result of the change, giving them time to plan and adapt. For the 2023 year, no school or kura will receive less operational funding due to the Equity Index and Isolation Index changes. From 2024 and onwards, any reduction in funding will be capped at 5% per annum of a school’s 2022 operational grant, to ensure any losses are phased out over time.

$184.42 million cost adjustment to schools’ operational grants

From 1 January 2022, schools and kura will receive a 2.75% increase to their operational grant funding. A list of the rates for the 2022 school year will be available on the Operational Funding rates page.

Which schools will receive this adjustment?

All state and state-integrated schools receive the cost adjustment, supporting the learning of about 800,000 students.

$62 million over four years to continue reforming the Tomorrow’s School system and another $62 million to drive key shifts in teaching and learning

New funding through Budget 2022 continues to invest in Supporting All Schools to Succeed(external link), the Government’s response to the Independent Review of Tomorrow’s Schools. This builds on the $185.3 million funded through Budget 2021 and the establishment of Te Poutahu | Curriculum Centre as a key driver of curriculum change, as part of the reform work.

Budget 2022 provides $22.3 million in operating funding over four years for new leadership advisor roles and $40 million over four years to establish a new Regional Response Fund, to be managed through Te Mahau. This continues the drive to put more frontline support closer to schools and provide greater flexibility to respond to the needs of different communities.

New funding also continues work to strengthen the delivery of the national curriculum and improve the quality of teaching and learning, with investment of $62 million operating funding over four years. There is a particular focus on literacy, communication and maths this year, and supporting the education workforce. This includes:

• $32 million to fund ongoing capability to maintain and grow the Curriculum Centre and support initial actions in the Literacy & Communication and Mathematics Strategy
• $30 million for development of te reo matatini, pāngarau and aromatawai tools, resources and supports, to strengthen te reo Māori education pathways

How will the Regional Response Fund operate?

The Regional Response Fund will allocate $10 million per year across the three Ministry regions (Te Tai Raro, Te Tai Whenua, and Te Tai Runga) from 1 July 2022.

The fund will provide frontline staff with the resources they need to deliver responsive frontline support and services, including local initiatives that target attendance and engagement, and support smaller schools facing additional administrative burden due to COVID-19.

What will the new leadership advisors do?

The nature of these frontline advisory roles will be determined in collaboration with the sector and there will be some flexibility in how they operate across the different regions and in different settings, for example Kaupapa Māori.

The Budget 2022 funding for leadership advisors builds on funding provided through Budget 2021 ($23.4 million over four years) for frontline advisory positions in our regional offices. In combination, this funding is enough for 45 advisory positions.

Budget 2022 Investment in Supporting All Schools to Succeed

$47.3 million boost in operating funding to increase Māori Language Programme Funding

This funding will increase Māori Language Programme (MLP) Funding at the highest level of immersion (level 1), with funding going directly to kura. It provides a 50% increase to the level 1 rate over two years, meaning that the current rate will be doubled from 2025 onward.

How will kura receive this funding?

Increases to the MLP level 1 rate will be part of the standard process for increasing operational grant rates. New rates will come into effect on 1 January 2020. 

$13 million in new operating funding to support Pacific Bilingual Immersion Education

This funding supports the growth and retention of the Pacific bilingual and immersion workforce.

How will this funding support the Pacific bilingual and immersion workforce?

This funding will provide targeted support for Pacific people looking to become teachers to meet the English language requirements to enter into initial teacher education and register as a teacher in New Zealand. The Ministry will work with key sector groups to identify barriers to meeting current English language requirements and pilot tailored support to address these barriers. 

Further curriculum resources will also be developed, based on sector need, from 2023. This will involve a co-design process which will support and recognise the development of meaningful resources and will build off needs already identified by the sector.

What other support is there for Pacific learners in Budget 2022?

Budget 2022 provides $2.05 million over four years to support Pacific learners by maintaining and growing Pacific scholarships, including the Tulī Takes Flight Scholarships. This was an undertaking made during the Dawn Raids Apology. 

$5 million over four years to expand Tapasā

In Budget 2021, $5 million was invested to deliver professional learning and development (PLD) for teachers and leaders in early learning and schools, focused on the use of Tapasā, cultural competencies for teachers of Pacific learners.

A further $5 million in funding repurposed within Vote Education will be used to expand and embed Tapasā. Funding will ensure that PLD is available to teachers and leaders across early learning and schools.

When and how will funding be available?

The funding will be available from 1 July 2022 and will fund providers already contracted to deliver Tapasā.

Early learning services and schools with higher numbers of Pacific learners will eb able to apply for the PLD.

$6.4 million of operating funding for Community Learning Hubs

This funding will maintain Community Learning Hubs in Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington and fund an evaluation of the model. The Hubs support about 800 parents and 1,200 early childhood and school-aged children from ethnic communities at more than 200 schools to engage in education each year.

$84.00 million of new operating funding to address critical cost pressures in School Transport

This funding addresses a cost pressure to ensure the continuity of school transport daily bus services to about 110,000 eligible school-age students and 5,500 students who access specialised school transport assistance.

How will this be implemented?

The initiative will be implemented through contracts with transport providers and the Ministry of Education’s management of other school transport assistance.

$24.74 million of new operating funding to continue Kāhui Ako (Communities of Learning)

This funding will ensure Kāhui Ako can continue in their current form until June 2023, while work is underway to engage with the sector about Kāhui Ako and whether any changes are recommended.

$4.83 million of new operating funding to help address cost pressures in New Zealand Sign Language and $6.46 million for professional learning and development

A funding increase for New Zealand Sign Language at School (NZSL@School) and First Signs will ensure students who use NZSL can continue to access the curriculum.

Reprioritised funding also covers NZSL professional learning and development for 150 schools with deaf/hard of hearing students accessing NZSL@School.

$6.2 million to support schools and kura to meet the Physical Restraint Rules and Guidelines

This funding will support schools to operationalise their obligations and requirements under the new Physical Restraint Rules and Guidelines.

$90 million to expand and continue Mana Ake mental health support for primary and intermediate-aged students

This investment will increase provision of mental health services through Mana Ake in Northland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Lakes and West Coast regions, as well as continuing existing services in Canterbury and Kaikōura. 

Local co-design for each of the new Mana Ake areas is well underway, and new services are expected to begin later this year.  

Last reviewed: 25 May 2023 Has this been useful? Give us your feedback