Fees, charges and donations
Requirements and information for schools and parents about what schools can charge for and how schools can opt in to the donations scheme.
Level of compliance | Main audience | Other |
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Required |
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Where schools and kura request donations, it is their responsibility to ensure the voluntary nature of these requests is clear to their parent community. If your school is eligible and chooses to opt-in to the Donations scheme, you cannot ask for donations, with the exception of overnight camps. State schools and kura cannot charge domestic students a fee for enrolment or attendance or for delivery of the curriculum (eg subject fees).
- Overview
- Payment types
- What is the donation scheme?
- What can a school or kura charge for?
- How will the funding be calculated?
- Breakdown of schools which have opted-in 2022
- Further information
Overview
There are three types of ‘payments’ related to schools:
- donations
- purchases of goods and services (e.g. pens, lunches)
- attendance dues.
If you are a school board, this guidance will inform you of:
- what you can charge for
- the donations scheme.
If you are a parent/caregiver or whānau, here you will learn:
- details about the three payment types
- about the donations scheme
- where to read specific guidance about your rights, obligations, and other important information regarding donations, fees and the donations scheme.
Payment types
The three types of payments include donations, purchases of goods and services, and attendance dues.
Section 33 of the Education and Training Act 2020(external link) states that every person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school during the period beginning on the person’s fifth birthday and ending on 1 January after the person’s 19th birthday. This means that state schools cannot charge domestic students a fee for enrolment or attendance, or for the delivery of the curriculum.
Payment type | Requirement | Description |
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Donations | Voluntary |
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Purchases of goods and services |
Voluntary |
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Attendance dues |
Compulsory for state-integrated schools and kura |
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What is the donation scheme?
State and state-integrated schools with an EQI of 432 or higher can choose to receive a per student payment per year if they agree not to ask parents and caregivers for donations, except for overnight camps. Previously this scheme used the decile system, whereby schools with a decile of 1-7 were eligible.
This initiative is designed to alleviate pressure and expectations on households surrounding donation payments.
How to opt-in
Schools opt-in to the donations scheme as part of the July roll return process. For more detail refer to the School Roll Return Guidelines(external link). Activity Centres and Attached units that do not submit a roll return can opt-in to the scheme by emailing the School Donations mailbox school.donations@education.govt.nz
For 2023, we provided an extended late opt-in timeline for the schools whose eligibility had changed following the move from the decile system to the equity index. This was to allow you time to consult with your community about opting-in to the scheme.
The survey monkey link for schools to use to opt-in to the donations scheme for 2023 has been closed, the late opt-in deadline was 6 March. Donations funding for schools that opted-in between December 2022 and March 2023 will be paid in your quarter 2 instalment at the beginning of April. The donations scheme funding will be based upon the higher of last year’s July roll or this year’s March roll.
How the scheme works
Schools that opt-in to the scheme through the July roll return process receive their donations scheme funding as part of their January operational funding instalment. The funding is calculated based on the previous year’s July roll. If your March roll is higher than the previous year's July roll, your school will receive a top-up payment in the quarter 2 at the beginning of April.
For more, refer to our Donation scheme FAQs.
What can a school or kura charge for?
We have developed guidance which makes it clear what schools can charge for and what parents need to pay for.
If you are family/whānau
Read our online guidance here What families/whānau need to know about school/kura donations and payment
If you are a board from a school/kura with an EQI of 432 or higher (eligible and choosing to opt in)
Read our online guidance at Schools and kura with an EQI of 432 and above choosing to opt-in to the donations scheme
If you are school board from a school or school/kura with an EQI of 431 and below (ineligible to or not choosing to opt in)
Read our online guidance at Schools/Kura with an EQI below 431 and Schools/Kura Not Opting In to the Donations Scheme
How will the funding be calculated?
Donations scheme funding is calculated using a per student rate, based on the previous year's July roll. The July roll is the most recent confirmed roll and for most schools, it is the most favourable roll to use.
If a school experiences a growth in their roll between the July roll and the following March roll, they will automatically receive additional donations scheme funding for the increase. This funding will be paid as part of the quarter 2 operational funding instalment at the beginning of April.
Breakdown of schools that have opted in to the donations scheme for 2022 by region, type and decile*
*Note that 2023 data will be updated in 2023.
Education Region | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2022 | Average Roll Count | Average Amount Going to Schools in 2022 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
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Te Tai Tokerau | 142 | 28,697 | 4,304,550 | 202 | 30,314 | 144 | 98.6% |
Auckland | 327 | 139,457 | 20,918,550 | 426 | 63,971 | 360 | 90.8% |
Waikato | 217 | 50,628 | 7,594,200 | 233 | 34,996 | 226 | 96.0% |
Bay of Plenty/Waiariki | 157 | 46,595 | 6,989,250 | 297 | 44,518 | 165 | 95.2% |
Hawke's Bay/Tairāwhiti | 158 | 33,196 | 4,979,400 | 210 | 31,515 | 158 | 100.0% |
Taranaki/Whanganui/Manawatu | 179 | 37,381 | 5,607,150 | 209 | 31,325 | 189 | 94.7% |
Wellington | 169 | 40,056 | 6,008,400 | 237 | 35,553 | 175 | 96.6% |
Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast | 93 | 21,242 | 3,186,300 | 228 | 34,261 | 96 | 96.9% |
Canterbury/Chatham Islands | 140 | 39,869 | 5,980,350 | 285 | 42,717 | 145 | 96.6% |
Otago/Southland | 110 | 16,890 | 2,533,500 | 154 | 23, 032 | 123 | 89.4% |
Total | 1,692 | 454,011 | 68,101,650 | 268 | 40,249 | 1,781 | 95.0% |
School Type | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2022 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composite | 60 | 17,680 | 2,652,000 | 61 | 98.4% |
Correspondence | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0.0% |
Intermediate | 87 | 39,397 | 5,909,550 | 90 | 96.7% |
Kura | 114 | 12,733 | 1,909,950 | 121 | 94.2% |
Primary | 1163 | 242,273 | 36,340,950 | 1195 | 97.3% |
Secondary | 198 | 137,722 | 20,658,300 | 240 | 82.5% |
Specialist | 35 | 3,719 | 557,850 | 36 | 97.2% |
Other | 35 | 487 | 73,050 | 38 | 92.1% |
Total | 1,692 | 454,011 | 68,101,650 | 1,781 | 95.0% |
Decile | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2022 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 312 | 62,231 | 9,334,650 | 318 | 98.1% |
2 | 254 | 55,681 | 8,352,150 | 258 | 98.4% |
3 | 244 | 64,449 | 9,667,350 | 247 | 98.8% |
4 | 237 | 69,362 | 10,404,300 | 242 | 97.9% |
5 | 226 | 66,957 | 10,043,550 | 240 | 94.2% |
6 | 212 | 69,240 | 10,386,000 | 231 | 91.8% |
7 | 207 | 66,091 | 9,913,650 | 245 | 84.5% |
Total | 1,692 | 454,011 | 68,101,650 | 1,781 | 95.0% |
Breakdown of schools that have opted in to the donations scheme for 2021 by region, type and decile
Education Region | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2021 | Average Roll Count | Average Amount Going to Schools in 2021 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Te Tai Tokerau | 141 | 28,338 | 4,250,700 | 201 | 30,147 | 142 | 99.3% |
Auckland | 322 | 137,819 | 20,672,850 | 428 | 64,201 | 359 | 89.7% |
Waikato | 218 | 50,167 | 7,525,050 | 230 | 34,519 | 227 | 96.0% |
Bay of Plenty/Waiariki |
158 | 46,566 | 6,984,900 | 295 | 44,208 | 164 | 96.3% |
Hawke's Bay/Tairāwhiti | 158 | 33,228 | 4,984,200 | 210 | 31,546 | 158 | 100.0% |
Taranaki/Whanganui/Manawatu | 179 | 37,381 | 5,607,150 | 209 | 31,301 | 187 | 95.2% |
Wellington | 169 | 39,916 | 5,987,400 | 236 | 35,428 | 175 | 96.6% |
Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast | 90 | 20,891 | 3,133,650 | 232 | 34,818 | 96 | 93.8% |
Canterbury/Chatham Islands | 140 | 39,680 | 5,952,000 | 283 | 42,514 | 145 | 96.6% |
Otago/Southland | 108 | 16,503 | 2,475,450 | 153 | 22,921 | 123 | 87.8% |
Total | 1,682 | 450,252 | 67,537,800 | 268 | 40,153 | 1,776 | 94.7% |
School Type | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2021 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composite | 82 | 20,257 | 3,038,550 | 87 | 94.3% |
Intermediate | 87 | 39,542 | 5,931,300 | 90 | 96.7% |
Kura | 56 | 6,213 | 931,950 | 59 | 94.9% |
Primary | 1189 | 245,463 | 36,819,450 | 1221 | 97.4% |
Secondary | 199 | 134,750 | 20,212,500 | 245 | 81.2% |
Specialist | 35 | 3,570 | 535,500 | 36 | 97.2% |
Other | 34 | 457 | 68,550 | 38 | 89.5% |
Total | 1,682 | 450,252 | 67,537,800 | 1,776 | 94.7% |
Decile | Schools Opting In | Roll Count of Participating Schools | Funding Going to Schools in 2021 | Total Eligible Schools | % Opting In |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 306 | 61,449 | 9,217,350 | 313 | 97.8% |
2 | 250 | 54,812 | 8,221,800 | 255 | 98.0% |
3 | 242 | 64,436 | 9,665,400 | 245 | 98.8% |
4 | 235 | 68,901 | 10,335,150 | 240 | 97.9% |
5 | 232 | 67,335 | 10,100,250 | 247 | 93.9% |
6 | 207 | 67,310 | 10,096,500 | 229 | 90.4% |
7 | 210 | 66,009 | 9,901,350 | 247 | 85.0% |
Total | 1,682 | 450,252 | 67,537,800 | 1,776 | 94.7% |
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