Parents of children at Catholic and independent schools have been warned they face fee hikes unless the Government develops a coherent strategy on schools funding.
Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham has again delayed discussions with the states on the future of schools funding, and NSW has today warned the Federal Government is "getting very, very close to midnight" on negotiating funding packages beyond 2018.
The National Catholic Education Commission, which speaks for hundreds of cash-strapped schools, has warned of potential fee increases that could hit struggling families as principals attempt to plan their resourcing for next year.
"[Principals] are anxious at this point about how much funding they will have," acting executive director Danielle Cronin said.
Catholic school principals said they are stressed as they attempt to secure teachers for next year, organise specialist literacy programs and devise other critical learning resources.
Mr Birmingham has been attempting for more than six months to shepherd a funding package through Cabinet — so far without success.
The Australian Education Union is running a campaign for continuation of Gonski funding for public schools.
It released data yesterday that it said showed many public schools around the country were worse off under the current mixture of bilateral agreements.
The influential Independent Schools Council of Australia has also been raising its frustration for several weeks.
"The Turnbull Government is committed to correcting the 27 special deals and arrangements we inherited from the previous Labor government."
NSW is the only state to have signed on to the schools funding model developed under former prime minister Julia Gillard, which has become known as Gonski funding.
Other states signed agreements under the Abbott government with various arrangements in place.
Political debate has centred on a group of what Mr Birmingham has described as "overfunded" schools, which include about 35 of the nation's most wealthy schools among a wider group of about 150 independent schools.
But the funds the Government could claw back from those wealthy schools would not go anywhere near to solving a looming education budget shortfall
