Family cost of living relief delivered as students head back to school

The Malinauskas Labor Government is supporting families ahead of the return to school with hundreds of dollars in new and significantly expanded support measures now available to help families with cost of living.

As more than 193,000 South Australia children head into classrooms at public schools across the state, the Premier has outlined targeted assistance available to manage the pressures of the cost of living for families.

All families with children at public schools and who are required to pay the materials and services charge will benefit from a discount of $200 per child in 2025, double what was offered in recent years.

The discount was first introduced in 2022, as part of the Malinauskas Government’s election commitment to support families and will automatically be applied to the school invoice.

The prescribed component of the annual materials and services charge, which covers the cost of essential items and services used or consumed by a student for the school year, is this year set at $300 for each primary student and $396 for each secondary student.

The Malinauskas Government continues to support families in their extra-curricular activities by expanding the Sports Voucher program.

Children from Reception to Year 9 are now eligible to receive double the support through two $100 Sports Vouchers per calendar year. For the first time, music lessons and active recreation will also be incorporated.

So far, more than a million dollars of support has been provided through more than 10,000 vouchers provided since the start of the month.

In another layer of support, applications are now open for low-income families who qualify for a School Card – and this year the threshold has increased by 4.5 per cent.

A family with a combined gross income of lower than $74,189 can qualify for the School Card, which means they won’t need to pay a materials and services charge and can also qualify for help with expenses such as uniforms, camp and excursion costs.

Since 2021, the government has increased the threshold by more than $13,322. In the public system, about a third of families are on School Card.

If families aren’t eligible for the School Card, they should reach out to their school who can help with assistance such as payment options and plans.

Additionally, families will be provided with assistance through a series of pilot programs, financial rebates and targeted support during the 2025 school year.

More than 340 schools across the state have registered to participate in the School Device program. Families on School Card, with students in years 7 and 10 attending one of the participating schools, will receive free devices to support their studies.

There are also bulk purchasing discounts for other families.

As of this month, 14,709 digital devices have been purchased via the School Device Program, with the purchasing portal open throughout the year for schools and families to purchase devices at any time – providing a discount of up to 15 per cent.

Families without reliable home internet can also request free internet from the department at any time throughout the school year – last year the program provided 205 students with access to internet services at no cost.

In Terms 1 and 2 the Department for Education is running a trial program for funding to be provided to Year 7 country school card students to support their attendance on school camps and excursions – more than 1000 students will be eligible for support.

Hundreds of schools will also be providing breakfast programs for students in need, with an additional $6.5 million committed by the State Government to the program leading to an increase in services.

While each school decides about using a breakfast program, and how often, there has been an increase in the number of days of operation with 71 per cent of sites that run a breakfast program offering these 5 days per week in 2024, compared to 56 per cent at the end of 2023.

The cost of living supports come as the State and Federal Governments jointly announced more than $1 billion in additional Commonwealth funding to South Australian public schools over the next 10 years.

This represents the biggest investment in South Australian public schools by the Australian Government – ever. This includes more individualised support for students, mandating evidenced-based teaching practices and more mental health support in schools.

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Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

A good education is the key to every child’s future – regardless of their ability or
circumstances – and the assistance we’re providing across a range of programs will hopefully make it easier for families with school age children.

Back to school can sometimes be a difficult time for families, with parents juggling a range of expenses to prepare their children for the new school year.

These measures provide a practical way to give parents some relief from some of those financial pressures.

Attributable to Blair Boyer

Families are doing it tough now which is why we are focused on supporting them with a range of cost-of-living initiatives.

Day one of the first term can be a mix of emotions for families as the school year gets underway, but I’m conscious that underpinning that for some families, is the financial strain the first day of school can bring.

This government is bringing an unprecedented level of cost-of-living support to those families.

We are keen to minimise any equity impacts across public education – from city to country, for lower economic families, for those experiencing the digital divide, we as a government that is keen to remove barriers to education.

Attributable to Brompton Primary School Principal Tina Treffers

The first day of the school year is always a mix of emotions – for students, parents and staff.

We work hard to settle everyone into a routine quickly and smoothly, especially those who are taking their first steps on their educational journey.

We know that some of our families are having a tough time financially, and it’s important that they know support is available in a range of areas.

Parents are always welcome to have a chat with me – or their child’s site leader – about how we can best support their child to settle into school and thrive.