Minister Carroll: Victorian Budget 2025/26

From Minister Ben Carroll's press release to schools.

Victorian Budget 2025/26 highlights

Supporting Victorian families with the cost of living

$152.3 million to significantly boost the amount students can receive through the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund from 2026.

Promoting equal access to education

$319.8 million for the completion of our landmark Disability Inclusion rollout for 2026 and continued support for students with disability with high needs.
$56.6 million for teaching English as an Additional Language support in mainstream schools and English Language Schools and Centres.
$33.4 million to maintain current services provided under the Students with Disability Transport Program, and the introduction of 6 new bus services for specialist schools.
$30.8 million over 4 years to continue individual tutoring and maintain the expanded LOOKOUT program to support students in out-of-home care.
$25.6 million to continue support for disengaged young people to re-engage in education through the expanded Navigator program.
$18.5 million to boost literacy and numeracy outcomes for eligible First Nations primary school students in government schools.
$18.5 million for the Accessible Buildings Program, to continue to ensure students with disability have access to education in line with their peers.
$1 million to continue the Education Early Intervention Officer pilot, which supports students at risk of being involved in the youth justice system by ensuring they remain connected with education.

Evidence-based excellence in teaching and learning

$46.6 million to support excellence in mathematics, including:
- $16.3 million to develop a new Grade 1 Numeracy Check and implement the Progressive Achievement Test for maths in government schools
- $4.2 million to support secondary teachers in government schools to use and deliver new mathematics lesson plans
- $2.4 million to support nearly 1,000 students in years 9 and 10 to attend advanced mathematics camps.
$34.6 million to support excellence in reading and writing, including:
- $12.9 million to continue the rollout of the Grade 1 Phonics Check and the use of the Progressive Achievement Test, and to support primary schools to move to the systematic synthetic phonics approach.
$20 million for targeted small group tuition for students needing additional support with literacy and numeracy.
$6.1 million will support the ongoing implementation of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 by equipping teachers and schools with high-quality curriculum and professional learning resources.

Strengthening student engagement and achievement

$27.1 million to invest in system oversight of post-secondary pathways for all students, and support for schools to implement the new Victorian Pathways Certificate curriculum, and make administration of vocational learning easier.
$24.6 million to continue the Student Excellence Program, providing up to 20,000 places in the Victorian High Ability Program and 30,000 places in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series.
$10.4 million to expand School-wide Positive Behaviour Support to an additional 400 schools.
$1.8 million for rural and regional students to continue programs providing a range of career and pathways options.
$1.4 million for a pilot scheme to support schools in Melbourne’s west to share their facilities with the community, helping to get more value for the Victorian community out of school infrastructure.

More support for schools and school staff

$411.1 million for 2 new schools to open in 2027, additional stages at 7 recently opened schools, as well as planning for a future expansion at a vertical school.
$323 millionfor school maintenance to ensure schools are safe, properly maintained and continue to meet contemporary learning needs.
$237.4 million to acquire land for up to 10 future new schools, as well as a further $1 million to identify sites for future new schools and campuses via the Precincts and Activity Centres Planning Fund.
$148.4 million for modern modular classrooms, which are allocated to schools to meet enrolment demand in their zone.
$29.2 million for the Career Start Program to strengthen the teaching practice of graduate teachers and keep them in the profession.
$29 million to support up to 1,200 teaching degree students to work in schools while studying, and $15.2 million to continue attracting teachers to hard-to-staff roles in rural and regional government schools.
$25.3 million to the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership to deliver advanced professional learning and pathways for high-performing teachers and leaders in government, Catholic and independent schools.
$10.7 million for small schools to continue managing occupational health and safety and support workers’ compensation claims.
$10.6 million to support teaching degree students to complete placements in rural, regional and specialist schools.
$9.3 million to keep school staff safe from violence, including funding for initiatives to improve safety supports and services for employees at risk of harm.
$9.2 million to support Tech Schools in Dandenong and Warrnambool, complementing ongoing investment in Hume, Brimbank, Wangaratta and Frankston Tech Schools.
$9 million for the Securing Connected Learners program to support cybersecurity in schools.
$8.1 million to support flexible working arrangements for school leaders.

The Hon. Ben Carroll MP

Deputy Premier

Minister for Education